Astonishing! Our dear Teacher Om Shanti simply amazed me with his humanity and logic...
Alexei Navalny (1976–2024) was a Russian lawyer, politician, and public figure, and the founder of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (designated a foreign agent in Russia, while associated organizations were designated extremist). He became known for investigations into corruption among Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. In 2020, he was poisoned, survived, and returned to Russia, where he was convicted; in 2024, he died in a penal colony. To his supporters, he was a symbol of resistance; to the authorities, an “extremist.”
Both became symbols of unjust persecution and death at the hands of the authorities. In the modern political context, Navalny’s death sparked a wave of symbolic actions (flowers, inscriptions, portraits), reminiscent of spontaneous veneration.
Navalny exposed corruption and nepotism in the highest echelons of power, using legal and media tools. His conflict with the authorities was political and legal.
Both became voices of dissent and challenged the system. Navalny had allies and supporters, but after his death, the movement faced repression and disunity.
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