The Kremlin critic is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence. However, this is the first formal political trial against Navalny, his supporters say.
One of the most famous critics of the Kremlin Alexei Navalny is going to court today accused of, among other things, founding an extremist organization.
The charges could bring Navalny up to 30 more years in prison, his representatives say.
Navalnyi, who exposed corruption and organized demonstrations against the Kremlin is already serving a nine-year prison sentence. He was convicted of treason, but his supporters say the sentence was a punishment for political activity.
However, the trial that starts today, Monday, is the first that is officially political, Navalny’s supporters say.
Numerous charges
The trial will take place in the Melehovo prison, about 250 kilometers from Moscow. Navalny is serving his current sentence there.
Navalny’s representative Kira Jarmyshin according to the court’s first hearing on Monday, it is scheduled to be public, but the judge may decide at the last minute to prohibit the media from reporting on it.
There are several charges. Navalny is accused, among other things, of founding an extremist organization. The Russian government, which has disciplined the opposition, declared Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation an extremist organization the following year.
In addition, charges include incitement to extremist activities, financing of extremist activities, reviving Nazism, and inciting minors to engage in life-threatening activities. The latter refers to of the German news channel Deutsche Wellen involved in calling for demonstrations.
Navalny has continued to criticize the Kremlin
Navalnyi was arrested in 2021 when he returned to Russia from Germany, where he had been taken for treatment after an attempted poisoning. Navalny blamed the Kremlin for the assassination attempt.
He was first sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for violating the terms of his parole, but the following year he was convicted of fraud.
The latest trial is taking place now that Moscow has accelerated its crackdown on opposition activity with its war in Ukraine and imprisoned a large number of key opposition figures, including Vladimir Kara-Murzan and Ilya Yashinin.
Navalny has continued to criticize the Kremlin from prison through his representatives.
In February, he said that Russia would inevitably suffer a defeat in Ukraine and that after the fighting was over, Russia should make up for the losses suffered by Ukraine.
Sources: AFP, Uutiset