AP PHOTOS: With candles and flowers, thousands pay respects to Russia’s Navalny
Candles and a photo of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service, are placed at the fence of the meanwhile closed Russian consulate in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
People wave their mobile phone with flashing lights paying their last respect to jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at the Memorial to Victims of Political Repression in St. Petersburg, Russia on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
A woman holds a portrait of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny during a protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Photos of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny with flowers and candles are laid on a ground in front of the Russian embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
A woman with a face painted in the color of blood attends a protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
A woman holds flowers outside the Russian Embassy in memory of for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)
A protester stages a demonstration opposite the Russian Embassy in London, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in reaction to the news that jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Portraits of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, flowers and candles are laid on a ground as police guard and people protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Protesters stage a demonstration opposite the Russian Embassy in London, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in reaction to the news that jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
A portrait of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and flowers are placed as people demonstrate near to Russian embassy to France, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
People stand near flowers and candles placed on the ground for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. during a protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Protesters stage a demonstration opposite the Russian Embassy in London, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in reaction to the news that jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
People wave their mobile phones with flashlights on as they pay their last respects to jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at the Memorial to Victims of Political Repression in St. Petersburg, Russia on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
A Russian man holds a bunch of red carnations in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 as small groups of Russian nationals arrived at the Russian Consulate in Istanbul at the gate in honor of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. Police however, turned them away, citing a government decree that bars protests at the busy pedestrian street where the mission is located. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Flowers are placed outside the Russian Embassy, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in Washington for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Lyudmila, 83, addresses people who gathered to lay flowers to pay their respect to jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service, at the monument, a large boulder from the Solovetsky islands, where the first camp of the Gulag political prison system was established, in St. Petersbiurg, Russia on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
Portraits of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, flowers and candles are laid on a ground as people protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Candles and a photo of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service, are placed at the fence of the meanwhile closed Russian consulate in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
Candles and a photo of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service, are placed at the fence of the meanwhile closed Russian consulate in Frankfurt, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
People wave their mobile phone with flashing lights paying their last respect to jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at the Memorial to Victims of Political Repression in St. Petersburg, Russia on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
People wave their mobile phone with flashing lights paying their last respect to jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at the Memorial to Victims of Political Repression in St. Petersburg, Russia on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
A woman holds a portrait of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny during a protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
A woman holds a portrait of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny during a protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Photos of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny with flowers and candles are laid on a ground in front of the Russian embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
Photos of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny with flowers and candles are laid on a ground in front of the Russian embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Mindaugas Kulbis)
A woman with a face painted in the color of blood attends a protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
A woman with a face painted in the color of blood attends a protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
A woman holds flowers outside the Russian Embassy in memory of for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)
A woman holds flowers outside the Russian Embassy in memory of for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano)
A protester stages a demonstration opposite the Russian Embassy in London, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in reaction to the news that jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
A protester stages a demonstration opposite the Russian Embassy in London, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in reaction to the news that jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Portraits of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, flowers and candles are laid on a ground as police guard and people protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Portraits of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, flowers and candles are laid on a ground as police guard and people protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Protesters stage a demonstration opposite the Russian Embassy in London, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in reaction to the news that jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Protesters stage a demonstration opposite the Russian Embassy in London, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in reaction to the news that jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
A portrait of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and flowers are placed as people demonstrate near to Russian embassy to France, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
A portrait of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and flowers are placed as people demonstrate near to Russian embassy to France, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
People stand near flowers and candles placed on the ground for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. during a protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
People stand near flowers and candles placed on the ground for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. during a protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Protesters stage a demonstration opposite the Russian Embassy in London, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in reaction to the news that jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Protesters stage a demonstration opposite the Russian Embassy in London, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in reaction to the news that jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
People wave their mobile phones with flashlights on as they pay their last respects to jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at the Memorial to Victims of Political Repression in St. Petersburg, Russia on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
People wave their mobile phones with flashlights on as they pay their last respects to jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at the Memorial to Victims of Political Repression in St. Petersburg, Russia on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
A Russian man holds a bunch of red carnations in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 as small groups of Russian nationals arrived at the Russian Consulate in Istanbul at the gate in honor of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. Police however, turned them away, citing a government decree that bars protests at the busy pedestrian street where the mission is located. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
A Russian man holds a bunch of red carnations in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 as small groups of Russian nationals arrived at the Russian Consulate in Istanbul at the gate in honor of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. Police however, turned them away, citing a government decree that bars protests at the busy pedestrian street where the mission is located. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Flowers are placed outside the Russian Embassy, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in Washington for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Flowers are placed outside the Russian Embassy, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024, in Washington for jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Lyudmila, 83, addresses people who gathered to lay flowers to pay their respect to jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service, at the monument, a large boulder from the Solovetsky islands, where the first camp of the Gulag political prison system was established, in St. Petersbiurg, Russia on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
Lyudmila, 83, addresses people who gathered to lay flowers to pay their respect to jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service, at the monument, a large boulder from the Solovetsky islands, where the first camp of the Gulag political prison system was established, in St. Petersbiurg, Russia on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)
Portraits of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, flowers and candles are laid on a ground as people protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
Portraits of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, flowers and candles are laid on a ground as people protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
With portraits, candles and flowers, thousands of people around the world paid their respects Friday to Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny after Russia’s prison agency announced he had died in an Arctic penal colony at age 47.
Among Russians living abroad, there was an outpouring of grief. From London to Frankfurt and Belgrade to Buenos Aires, fans of the outspoken Navalny, one of the Kremlin’s fiercest critics, headed to Russian embassies and consulates to express their shock and anger.
In Russia, after initially allowing people in several cities to lay flowers at monuments to victims of Soviet-era repression, police sealed off some of the areas and started making arrests. In St. Petersburg, a group of people waved their mobile phone flashlights at the Memorial to Victims of Political Repression.
The stunning news came less than a month before an election that will give Russian President Vladimir Putin another six years in power. It also brought renewed criticism from world leaders toward the Russian president who has suppressed opposition at home.
Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service said Navalny felt unwell after a walk on Friday and lost consciousness. An ambulance arrived, but paramedics failed to revive him, the agency said in a statement.
A Russian man holds a bunch of red carnations in Istanbul, Turkey, Friday, Feb. 16, 2024 as small groups of Russian nationals arrived at the Russian Consulate in Istanbul at the gate in honor of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service. Police however, turned them away, citing a government decree that bars protests at the busy pedestrian street where the mission is located. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
Lyudmila, 83, addresses people who gathered to lay flowers to pay their respect to jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died in a Russian prison, according to the Federal Penitentiary Service, at the monument, a large boulder from the Solovetsky islands, where the first camp of the Gulag political prison system was established, in St. Petersbiurg, Russia on Friday, Feb. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky)