"If they decide to kill me, it means that we are incredibly strong," Alexey Navalny

The world was stunned and outraged when news broke recently, sadly confirming that the great Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny had finally been killed by Putin. 

We have just witnessed sham elections in Russia and a (possibly staged) terrorist attack in Moscow, leaving Russians angry. However, we must not forget the Russian attack on the Mariupol theater two years ago, where nearly 600 Ukrainians, mainly women and children were at risk of dying. Now, two years later, with Russians mourning and outraged over 140 civilian deaths, Putin condemns the attack as barbaric terrorism.

 

 

What irony! It is high time that the Russian invaders experience what Ukrainians face daily. After all that, the despicable dictator Putin dares to link the attack to Ukraine, despite suggestions from media outlets and Western intelligence agencies that the FSB may have had prior knowledge of the attack and let it happen intentionally so it could be used to blame Ukraine. We anticipate Putin’s escalations to continue or even worsen soon. He has already issued threats of World War III again, if F16 fighter jets are deployed.

 

 

The truth is, Putin and the FSB were too focused on ensuring that the sham elections achieved the 87% support desired to be seen as a legitimate leader. In doing so, they neglected to protect ordinary Russians from the terrorist attack. It is also concerning that it took Russian police ninety minutes to arrive at the scene, long after the terrorists had fled, despite two police stations nearby. Something doesn’t add up, especially with Putin attempting to shift blame to Ukraine now. It is obvious to us that this suggests Putin's involvement, not Ukraine’s, especially considering all that happened just after Putin eliminated the last opposition leader, Alexey Navalny recently.

 

 

This particular shocking incident not only serves as a stark reminder of the dangerous landscape faced by political dissidents in authoritarian regimes like Russia, but it also raises serious questions about the integrity and accountability of those types of brutal dictators who use and abuse their power by ordering assassinations like that. The murder of Alexey Navalny by Putin carries immense significance, both nationally and globally. At the national level, it may hopefully galvanise some kind of serious opposition movement in Russia that can help expose the depth of murders and corruption within the Russian political establishment. Globally, it highlights again the severe restrictions on freedom of speech and the dangers faced by "Martyrs" like Alexey Navalny who dare defect or challenge Putin and the status quo in Russia but always end up dead.

 

 

Given the obvious wealth of evidence always implicating Russian intelligence agencies and Putin in such deaths, the international community and New Zealand must finally put Putin on notice and demand justice for this heinous act. The gravity of the situation requires a united front, ensuring that dictators and serious war criminals like Putin can be held accountable for their actions. Putin's blatant assassination of Alexey Navalny epitomizes the systemic challenges faced by political dissidents in repressive regimes like Russia. The killing of Navalny must now serve as a call to action, demanding greater accountability, protection, and justice for those who dare to criticize those in power.

 

 

We are calling on Winston Peters to summon the Russian Ambassador to voice our condemnation of such Russian State-ordered killings and sham elections. Russia's continuous violations of basic human rights and democratic values have turned Russia into a dictatorship. Therefore we think that it is time for New Zealand to talk about expelling the Russian Ambassador to draw a line and send a message to Putin and the rest of the world. All Russian embassy staff pose now a serious threat to our democracy! Any diplomacy with that brutal autocracy must only be done at a distance! 

 

 

We know that ejecting a Russian ambassador is a serious and consequential diplomatic "last" step that should never be taken lightly. Whether this expulsion is motivated by espionage activities or election interference, an initiated full-scale unprovoked aggression against a neighbour, or Putin's blatant murder of yet another political opponent, it does not matter! Putin will continue to snuff out leading lights that support democracy in Russia and around the world and that has to stop and be called out for what it is which is "Murder."

 

 

We also know that the decision to eject an ambassador because of these reasons could carry significant ramifications for New Zealand, its citizens, and international relations with Russia as a whole but where do we draw the red line if we don't question or respond to sham elections and such an obvious murder of a brave political opponent in Russia?

 

 

Something needs to be done here, Winston! These blatant provocations by Putin can't be tolerated without an immediate assertive response and condemnation from New Zealand. Accepting or normalizing all these ongoing Putin murders and sham elections will only result in more people in Russia either exploding and burning in plane crashes or defending heroes of democracy like Navalny either poisoned, falling out of windows, getting run over by cars or outright disappearing.

We urge the New Zealand Government to denounce Russia’s recent election as a sham and declare Putin an illegitimate president. Putin should not be recognised as the president of Russia because these elections were clearly rigged, and Putin is a war criminal and murderer wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Den Haag. Putin needs to be held accountable and investigated for murder, genocide, child abduction and crimes against humanity, eventually charged and tried for these heinous crimes he has committed during his 25 -year dictatorship. 

 

 

Whatever method of political elimination used, anything seems to work for Putin as long as he can go on "unchallenged" killing and murdering anybody who is a threat to him or the regime without consequences. Putin is a mass murderer and war criminal who needs to be confronted just like any other mass murderer. Doing nothing now does not make sense Winston. Navalny once said that:

"Life makes no sense if you have to tolerate endless lies. I will never accept this system, which is built on lies, I will not stop my fight against this junta.”

And so he did but he had to pay with his freedom and his life fighting for Russian democracy.

 

 

There was nothing democratic about the recent elections, and the continued efforts by the Russian regime to convince otherwise or mask them as democratic elections are frankly ridiculous. We are tired of these ongoing lies and facades. Russia’s elections were clearly a sham because Russians only had one “dictator” to vote for. During the 2024 Russian elections, Putin did not engage in any electioneering or participate in public debates with his staged and chosen opponents to discuss any government plans or policies. Obviously because all real political opponents had been killed or imprisoned first.

 

 

Many votes were obtained through coercion, fraud, and with machine guns pointed at voters, or threats made by employers and local officials to ensure people voted only for the  “dictator” and murderer Putin. The only real opposition leader, Alexey Navalny, was blatantly killed by Putin just before the elections, obviously to prevent any challenge to the rising dictator, just like Vladimir Kara-Murza. Many others have also been imprisoned, such as Boris Nemtsov, or are now living in exile in the West.

Would it be the time to summon the Russian Ambassador Winston and discuss New Zealand's outrage about Navalny's murder and the latest sham elections? Maybe even send the Russians packing from New Zealand altogether? Why are we still accommodating these Russian gangsters and murderers in our Wellington Embassy right now Winston?

 

 

The NZDDA believes that it is time for Kiwis to take action. We need to condemn these latest Russian sham elections. We also need to hold Russia to account for their state-ordered killings, and Putin's ongoing murders! Russia has become an extremely nasty and deceptive predatory global pariah state, led by murderers and gangsters backed by a corrupt regime that can not be trusted! What is happening in Russia right now can only be compared to the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany in 1933!

 

 

Please sign this petition if you are concerned about these latest Russian sham elections and about Alexey Navalny’s death and his fight for democracy in Russia. He sacrificed his life for this cause: all we ask for is your signature on this petition! Let’s prioritise safety, but also show courage by sending a strong message to the Russian government. Stand up to Russia and expel the Russian ambassador from New Zealand!

Glory to Ukraine!

PS. Here is a new petitions we started. We propose to change the street name of the Wellington Russian Embassy and rename 57 Messines Rd to Alexey Navalny Rd in honour of Alexey Navalny's death.

https://chng.it/WLzNW2CGCn

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing. So, don’t be inactive," — Alexei Navalny