Dear Ms. Navalnaya,

It is both good and very sad to see you here today.

It is so incredibly sad because the reason for you being here is so tragic and wrong.

Nobody should have to die for speaking up for what they believe in.

All of us here today mourn with you the loss of your husband, Alexei Navalny.

A man who became one of the symbols of resistance to the Putin regime.

Who stood up for what he believed in and spoke out loud.

Also in the face of repression.

Alexei Navalny, helped expose Putin to the world.

He shone a bright light on the enormous corruption of Putin and his oligarch friends.

It was something that clearly frightened Putin.

Because despots like Putin are afraid of facts, of debate and of truth.

And you husband tried to bring forth all of that.

For that, he was poisoned and he was accused by the Putin regime.

He was unjustly jailed and paid the ultimate prize.

And yet, despite the sadness and the loss that led here.

It is also good to hear you.

And to see you speaking here.

Because it means Putin did not succeed in silencing the critique.

It means the fight against his repression continues.

Yulia Navalnaya

To offer you my condolences seems way too little.

What I can offer is my profound respect and admiration,

For the work of your husband and of you.

And for anyone who dares to stand up to despots like Vladimir Putin.

May the death of Alexei Navaly not be in vain.

May democracy triumph in the end.

Watch all the speeches

The address by Yulia Navalnaya can be watched on the European Parliament website, via this link.