The imprisoned dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza called on Russians today Thursday not to “despair” and to continue the fight for democracy, after the death of Alexei Navalny in prison.

“I still can’t fathom what happened, logically or emotionally. Nevertheless if we give in to gloom and despair, that’s exactly what they want. We have no right to do this, we owe it to our fallen comrades,” said Kara-Murza, who spoke via video conference during a closed court session.

Old friend of Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Kara-Murza he was also his close friend Boris Nemtsov, of another opposition figure killed in 2015 near the Kremlin.

Kara-Murza was able to deliver a message that was made public the day before yesterdayTuesday, from his social media team.

“Responsibility for the death of Alexei Navalny personally owned by Vladimir Putin, because Alexei was his personal prisoner”He wrote.

“A vengeful, fearful, greedy old man holds the grip of death by destroying what he perceives as a threat to his power,” the opposition leader added, referring to President Vladimir Putin.

Kara-Murza, a Russian-British citizen, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being accused of treason, spreading “false information” about the Russian military and links to an “undesirable organization”.

It is the heaviest sentence imposed on an opposition figure in the country’s recent history. Besides, his health is very bad, according to his supporters, as there have been two attempts to kill him with poison in the past.

In his message, he explained how was informed of the news of Alexei Navalny’s death on the radio inside his cell on February 16, the day the prison authorities’ brief announcement of the death of Vladimir Putin’s arch-rival was broadcast.

From his cell in Siberia, Kara-Murza expressed the hope “to make Russia a democratic, European, smooth and free country”. “Alexei said: don’t give up. We cannot give up,” he said characteristically.