Nemtsov funeral: Crowds gather to pay tribute, but Navalny not allowed to attend

Nemtsov funeral: Crowds gather to pay tribute, but Navalny not allowed to attend
By Sarah Taylor with euronews, Radio Free Europe
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In Moscow, mourners gather to pay tribute to murdered opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, who will be buried on Tuesday (March 3).

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Mourners have gathered to pay tribute to murdered Russian opposition leader, Boris Nemtsov for the final time.

His body is lying in state at Moscow’s Andrei Sakharov rights centre, where a public service will be held, before he is buried in Troyekurovskoye Cemetery, in the south west of the capital, on Tuesday afternoon (March 3).

British former Prime Minister John Major is in Moscow to pay his respects.

Former British PM John Major pays his respects to Boris #Nemtsov in #moscowpic.twitter.com/xAuNrIFGII

— Emma Wells (@Emmawells1) March 3, 2015

Fifty-five-year-old Nemtsov was gunned down outside the Kremlin in a drive-by shooting on Friday (February 27).

His death has provoked both national and international condemnation, leading President Vladimir Putin to personally commission an investigation into the shooting, despite Nemtsov’s continued and prolific criticism of the leader.

Police have yet to trace the murderer, murder weapon or the car that was seen speeding away following the shooting.

Prevented from attending

A march in Nemtsov’s memory drew thousands to the streets of Moscow on Sunday (March 1).

"I'm Nemtsov," - Powerful images of #Moscow March for Boris #Nemtsov killed Friday. Photos: Evgeny Feldman pic.twitter.com/lS6tp7fiEE

— Sara Firth (@Sara__Firth) March 1, 2015

Fellow activist Alexey Navalny helped organise the rally, which had originally been intended as an anti-Kremlin march.

He is currently serving 15 days in jail for his role in arranging the demo and has been denied release for the funeral. Navalny has appealed the decision, but his case will not be considered until the day after the funeral.

One non-Russian woman told British media she had been denied from entering the country after being forced to wait two hours at the airport.

“I was going to Russia to pay tribute to Boris Nemtsov, who I consider one of the brightest and most admirable political personalities in Russia,” said Ms Kalniete. “I was not coming to Russia to make political declarations and standing on the corner to offend people.”

Euronews will cover the memorial service live on Tuesday, March 3.

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