Vladimir Putin tried and failed to murder Alexei Navalny, a Russian who has openly challenged Putin’s tyrannical rule. He arranged to have Navalny poisoned, but Navalny escaped to Germany where doctors were able to save his life.
Navalny, now recovered from his toxic bout, has returned to Russia where he was immediately arrested. He continues to call upon Russians to fight for freedom, even from his jail cell. His courage is extraordinary.
I believe that Navalny is a genuine hero. He has always known that his outspoken opposition to the Russian government’s clamp down on personal freedom invited severe repercussions, but he proceeded fearlessly. He is once again imprisoned and his life hangs in the balance.
The western democracies have decried Putin’s detainment of Navalny. Putin knows that he will be internationally condemned if Navalny dies. My guess is that censure from other nations will not hinder Putin. One day, sooner or later, we’ll learn that Navalny is dead.
The effect is that Navalny offered his own life as a way to call for liberty and justice in Russia and to disgrace Putin. I am in awe of a man of such supreme bravery and self-sacrifice. May we all learn from his example.
Tom Glenn, Writer 