Navalny vigil

Greens lay roses in front of the Russian embassy in Vienna

One year has passed since the death of prominent Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny.(Bild: krone.tv )

Almost exactly opposite the Russian embassy in Vienna, a vigil was held on Friday to mark the first anniversary of Alexei Navalny's death, organized by the Greens. Green foreign policy spokesperson Meri Disoski made a clear demand: all political prisoners in Russia must be released immediately and the sanctions must not be lifted.

The Greens laid white roses on the fence in front of the embassy building in Vienna. The choice of location for the vigil was no coincidence. The Greens wanted to send a clear signal to the Russian government that the memory of Navalny and his political legacy must remain alive. 

Navalny had died in a Siberian prison camp on February 15 or 16 of the previous year. He was "killed by the Russian regime", said Disoski. His death was "a memorial to the brutality of the Russian regime". Calls for freedom and justice should not be silenced, said Niki Kunrath, security spokesperson for the Greens.

On Friday, the Greens commemorated Alexei Navalny.(Bild: krone.tv )

They not only commemorated him, but also all those who are currently taking to the streets in Georgia, Serbia and Slovakia, for example, because they live in a democracy. All political prisoners must be released and the government must adhere to the Russia sanctions. Cessions of territory in Ukraine could encourage Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin to commit further aggression.

"Russia friend in the Chancellery prevented"
The FPÖ is on friendly terms with the Kremlin party United Russia, criticized Disoski. It was not enough that "a friend of Russia in the Chancellery has been prevented"; Russia-friendly networks in Austria must be uncovered and combated.

Europe must take part in Russian-American negotiations on Ukraine and Putin must not be encouraged "to invade the next country". He is striving to establish a "Greater Russian Empire". The situation in Russia will probably not change as long as Putin is in power, said Disoski. After his fall, a democracy could emerge.

Watch the whole video above.