This is information that usually falls on Fridays in Russia, new rankings “foreign agents” or other infamous qualifications. On January 14, it was the two main allies of Alexei Navalny who were added to the Russian catalog of “terrorists and extremists”. This a few days before the first anniversary of the arrest of the opponent and the repression of his movement which followed.
With our correspondent in Moscow, Anissa al-Jabri
They come to join a list of several thousand individuals.
The names of Ivan Zhdanov and Leonid Volkov now rub shoulders with those of members of Islamist or ultranationalist organizations banned in Russia, described as terrorists and extremists like members of the Taliban and the Islamic State organization.
These two former right-hand men ofAlexei Navalny are already living in exile. Leonid Volkov had headed the imprisoned opponent’s regional campaign offices and overseen his national campaigns. Ivan Zhdanov is the former head of the now disbanded Anti-Corruption Foundation.
” We are pioneers for this kind of nonsense “, reacted the latter on Twitter. Her father is already in custody in a fraud investigation. Jail is a retaliatory measure often used for the families of those fleeing prosecution in Russia.
For those who also remain: a young pregnant woman, ex-militant of the Navalny movement five years ago in the provinces, was imprisoned a few weeks ago. The law classifying the extremist movement is retroactive.