Published 20:46 IST, February 4th 2021
Navalny makes heart gesture to wife before guards take him away, watch the emotional video
Russia's Alexei Navalny captured making a heart gesture to his wife Yulia on the glass cage where he was being held as the judge announced imprisonment.
What internet users across the globe are terming one of the ‘most emotional moments’ ever witnessed is Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny making heart gesture to his wife Yulia on the glass cage where he was being held. As the judge in Moscow read out the ruling against Russian President Vladimir Putin and sentenced him to prison for more than 2.5 years, Navalny was seen smiling and pointing at his wife. Later, as the guards led him away, he reportedly told Yulia, "Everything will be fine". Soon the clip of Navalny’s heart gesture to his wife was shared on the internet and it caught internet users’ attention in a jiffy. While many posted teary eyes emoji, others sympathised with the couple. Watch:
On February 2, Navalny was ruled by Russian judge of violating terms of his probation while recuperating in Germany from the nerve-agent poisoning. The ruling had even ignited nationwide protests. Earlier, during the hearing Putin’s most staunch critic said that the Russian President is nothing but an “underpants poisoner”. During his trial, he delivered a short speech in which he reiterated his innocence and called out the nation’s “corrupt” political and legal system.
“Murder is the only way he knows how to fight. He’ll go down in history as nothing but a poisoner. We all remember Alexander the Liberator [Alexander II] and Yaroslav the Wise [Yaroslav I]. Well, now we’ll have Vladimir the Underpants Poisoner,” Navalny said about Putin in his speech as translated by medusa.io
US, UK Condemn Alexei Navalny's Arrest
The United States and the United Kingdom have condemned the Moscow court's order after it sent Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to prison for more than two-and-a-half years. The US and UK have called for the opposition leader’s immediate release. Navalny has been sentenced prison time for violating the terms of his probation while he was recuperating in Germany from nerve-agent poisoning. His arrest and mass detention of his supporters have triggered a wave of condemnation from the west. Following his court hearing, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken demanded Russia to free the Kremlin critic “immediately and unconditionally”.
Updated 20:46 IST, February 4th 2021