Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is facing new charges of extremism, which could result in him remaining behind bars for decades. The trial is taking place at a maximum security penal colony in Melekhovo, where Navalny is currently serving a nine-year sentence for fraud and contempt of court. Navalny insists that these charges are politically motivated. Despite his request for an open trial, the judge ruled to close the proceedings.
Navalny, known for exposing official corruption and organizing anti-Kremlin protests, was arrested in January 2021 upon his return to Moscow after recovering from nerve agent poisoning that he has attributed to the Kremlin. At the trial, Navalny, wearing his prison garb, appeared gaunt but spoke passionately about the weakness of the state’s case.
Navalny has rejected the new extremism charges as “absurd” and warns that they could result in an additional 30 years of imprisonment. He has also been informed that he may face a separate military trial on terrorism charges, which could carry a life sentence.
This trial comes as part of a broader crackdown on dissent in Russia, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which Navalny has strongly criticized. The trial at Penal Colony No. 6 in Moscow did not allow reporters in the courtroom, and they had to watch via video feed from a separate location. Navalny’s parents were also denied access to the court and followed the proceedings remotely.
Despite Navalny and his lawyers urging an open trial, the judge agreed with the prosecutor’s claim of security concerns and decided to conduct the trial behind closed doors. The charges against Navalny relate to the activities of his anti-corruption foundation and statements made by his top associates. According to his allies, these charges retroactively criminalize all the work carried out by Navalny’s foundation since its establishment in 2011.
One of Navalny’s associates, Daniel Kholodny, has been relocated from a different prison to stand trial alongside him. Navalny’s time in prison has been marked by disciplinary violations and alleged failure to comply with regulations, resulting in his confinement to a punishment cell.
Concerns have been raised about Navalny’s health and the lack of proper medical assistance provided by prison authorities. As the trial began, the Prosecutor General’s office declared the Bulgaria-based Agora human rights group as “undesirable,” accusing them of posing a threat to national security by exposing human rights violations and offering legal assistance to opposition members.
In Berlin, the German government criticized Navalny’s trial and called for his immediate release. The European Court of Human Rights concluded back in 2017 that Navalny’s imprisonment was politically motivated. However, providing assistance or observing the trial is proving challenging given the current state of relations between Germany and Russia.
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