In memory of Aleksey Navalny, whose courage shone brighter than the forces that sought to silence him

Alexei Navalny was a prominent Russian opposition leader, lawyer, and anti-corruption activist, born on June 4, 1976, in Butyn, Russia. He rose to international prominence for his extensive work in exposing corruption in Russian politics and business, leading numerous large-scale projects through his Anti-Corruption Foundation. Navalny was a vocal critic of the Kremlin and President Vladimir Putin, which led to his repeated arrests and legal troubles, widely seen as politically motivated. His most notable effort was his 2018 presidential campaign, although he was barred from running due to a prior conviction. In August 2020, Navalny was poisoned with a nerve agent but survived after receiving treatment in Germany. Despite the risks, he returned to Russia in January 2021, where he was immediately arrested and subsequently imprisoned.