German chancellor Olaf Scholz hails Alexey Navalny on second anniversary of his poisoning

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday hailed Russia's imprisoned opposition leer and most vocal critic of Vlimir Putin’s regime, Alexey Navalny, on second anniversary of his poisoning allegedly by Kremlin. Olaf denounced Russia's clampdown on freedom of speech, stating in a video message that he h got an opportunity to speak with Navalny while he was recovering in hospital in Berlin. German Chancellor labelled Navalny as a "brave man who wanted to return to Russia to fight for democracy, freedom and rule of law."   

" war that Russia started against Ukraine is a war that also has consequences for Russia," Scholz told state-affiliated press. "Freedom and democracy were alrey endangered before. But now, freedom of expression is much more endangered and many fear to say ir own opinion," he continued to d. 

46-year-old activist, Putin's most vocal critic, is now in a maximum-security penal colony. He was arrested in Russia by FSB after his return from Germany where he was hospitalised for days after being poisoned by Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok. Moscow, however, denies any responsibility for poisoning of Navalny. Navalny is currently serving 11-1/2 years jail time on charges of fraud and contempt of court. 

Harrowing experience in detention centre IK-6 Melekhovo

Navalny h earlier relayed his harrowing experience from  detention centre IK-6 Melekhovo, located about 250 km (155 miles) east of Moscow, where he was recently moved, in a lengthy social media post.  Navalny narrated his ordeal stating that he h been coerced by Russian Federation's Federal Security Service to listen to "Glory to FSB" songs and was me to sit under portrait of Vlimir Putin for several hours. He also elaborated on difference between his likes and Russia's leer Putin and Dmitry Medvedev, former Russian Prime Minister whom Navalny described as " tyrant's prime minister." 

Russia's opposition leer stated that he is me to start day at around 6:40 am and around 10:20 am, when Putin has his breakfast, it's his lunchtime. He furr ded that despite torture and challenges he confronted in jail, he is an "optimist and looks for bright side." jailed Russian opposition leer h also widely condemned Putin’s so-called military operation in Ukraine, asking Russians to start a mass Civil Disobedience movement against Putin's regime.