Aleksei A. Navalny, the prominent opposition leader in Russia, has started a new trial that could potentially extend his prison sentences by several decades due to extremism charges. The trial took place in a Moscow district court, but it was held 150 miles away from the capital in the penal colony where Navalny has been detained since 2021. Journalists were able to watch the hearing through a video feed, although Navalny’s visibility and audibility were limited. However, the feed was abruptly cut off after prosecutors expressed concerns about the trial’s participants’ security. The charges brought against Navalny by the Basmanny District Court include incitement and financing of extremism, as well as “rehabilitating Nazism.” Navalny has voiced his frustration over the lack of time given to study the extensive case materials comprising approximately 4,000 pages across 200 volumes. He and his supporters argue that all the cases against him are politically motivated. If Navalny is convicted, it could lead to an additional 30-year jail term, although acquittals are extremely rare for opposition figures in Russian courts.
Navalny, aged 47, has already been sentenced to nine years in prison for various offenses, including parole violations, fraud, and contempt of court. Known for his wit and charisma, Navalny has been a thorn in the side of the Kremlin elite with his investigations into corruption. He possesses the unique ability to mobilize people nationwide to protest against the government, making him a powerful political force in Russia.
Daniel Kholodny, the former technical director of Navalny’s YouTube channel, is co-defendant on trial with him, facing charges of participating in and financing extremist activities. Three lawyers are representing the accused during the trial. According to Navalny’s spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, at least 15 activists who collaborated with Navalny are also facing similar charges, and many of them have sought refuge in exile.
Last week, the Russian government designated Navalny’s grassroots anti-corruption group as an “extremist organization.” Since then, two of his former associates have received lengthy prison sentences. Lilia Chanysheva, the head of Navalny’s office in the Bashkortostan region, was sentenced to seven and a half years, while her former colleague Rustem Mulyukov received a two and a half-year sentence on similar charges.
Navalny’s arrest in 2021 occurred upon his return to Russia from Germany, where he had recovered from a near-fatal poisoning that was widely attributed to the Kremlin, despite the Russian government’s denial of any involvement. The documentary film “Navalny,” which received an Academy Award this year, implicated several agents from the Russian state security service, the FSB, in the attack.
During the hearing on Monday, Navalny’s parents, Anatoly and Lyudmila, requested to attend in person but were also relegated to a side room, according to Mediazona. Navalny’s initial plea to the judge was to allow his parents into the hearing, which the judge stated would be considered later.
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