Speech on Exile by Julija Nawalnaja
After the death of her husband and Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, she wants to continue his work: From exile, human rights activist Julija Nawalnaja continues to fight tirelessly for democracy and the rule of law in her native Russia. This year, she is the patron of the Days of Exile in Hamburg.
She would never give up on Russia, said Julija Nawalnaja in response to the question of why she continues to put herself in danger with her commitment even after the death of her husband.
This is not the first time that the wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has lived in exile. After the poison attack on him, she decided to return to Russia with him for the time being. Navalny’s journey ended in Russian custody, which he did not leave until his death in February 2024.
Following her announcement that she wanted to continue her husband’s work, a Moscow court issued an arrest warrant for her for alleged membership of an ‘extremist organisation’. Since then, she has been living in exile in an unknown location under protection.
As patron of this year’s Days of Exile in Hamburg, Julija Nawalnaja will give a speech on exile. The evening will be rounded off musically by the Latvian violinist Gidon Kremer and the chamber orchestra Kremerata Lettonica. The event will be moderated by journalist Muschda Sherzada.
An event in English.
Further information on the programme can be found at Days of Exile.
