Thousands of Russians are posting photos of themselves in red clothing to social media in a show of support for jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia Navalnaya.
During her husband’s court hearing Tuesday, Navalnaya was seen crying while the judge read out the verdict to convert his suspended sentence of 3.5 years into a 2.8-year prison sentence.
"Don't be sad, everything will be fine," Navalny said to Yulia as he was led from the courtroom.
The next day, journalist and Telegram blogger Katya Fyodorova called on readers to show support for both Navalnaya and the families and loved ones of the thousands of detained pro-Navalny protesters across Russia. She instructed her followers to turn Navalny’s last words to his wife into a hashtag (#негрустивсебудетхорошо) and to post selfies in red because it is Yulia’s favorite color.
“I invite all those who care to post selfies wearing red, so Yulia and everyone else can follow the hashtag and see that we are many and we are not indifferent,” Fyodorova wrote on her Telegram channel.
Many Russian celebrities joined the flashmob...
… and even some four-legged friends showed their support.
Those who are more camera shy were invited to share a red picture created by one of Fyodorova’s followers.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
