Alexei Navalny, the imprisoned Russian opposition leader, is confronting a fresh trial on charges of extremism that could lead to decades of imprisonment. Navalny is already serving a nine-year sentence for parole violations, fraud, and contempt of court. Both he and his supporters maintain that his arrest and imprisonment in 2021 were politically motivated.
The latest trial, set to commence on Monday, will take place in the penal colony located 250km (150 miles) east of Moscow, where Navalny is currently held. He faces multiple charges, including the creation of an extremist network and financing extremist activities, which could extend his prison term by up to 30 years.
Navalny, 47, has long been the prominent figure of the Russian opposition, consistently challenging President Vladimir Putin and exposing corruption within the highest ranks of Russian power for over a decade. Known for his charisma and effective campaigning, Navalny was able to mobilize large numbers of people across Russia to participate in anti-government protests.
After recovering from a poisoning attack in 2020, which he attributed to the Kremlin, Navalny returned from Germany and was arrested in 2021. Russian authorities denied any involvement. A joint investigation by Bellingcat and Russian news site The Insider in 2020 implicated several agents of Russia’s internal security service, the FSB, in the attack.
Initially sentenced to two and a half years for violating bail conditions while receiving treatment in a German hospital, Navalny was later given an additional nine-year sentence for fraud and contempt of court.
The new trial comes as the Kremlin escalates its crackdown on political opponents, more than a year after the invasion of Ukraine, resulting in the imprisonment or exile of many key opposition figures.
Navalny expressed frustration with the voluminous amount of information provided by prosecutors, consisting of 3,828 pages outlining the alleged crimes committed during his time behind bars. Despite the extensive documentation, he remarked on the lack of clarity regarding the specific accusations against him.
Navalny is confronted with various accusations, including financing of extremist activities, public incitement of extremist acts, and the act of “rehabilitating the Nazi ideology,” along with other charges.
