Jailed Russian opposition leader Navalny to face new trial
The Hindu
A court in Moscow held a hearing to set the stage for imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to face a new trial on extremism charges that he has described as a Kremlin-ordered effort to extend his time behind bars.
A court in Moscow held a hearing on April 26 to set the stage for imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to face a new trial on extremism charges that he has described as a Kremlin-ordered effort to extend his time behind bars.
Navalny, who exposed official corruption and organised massive anti-Kremlin protests, was arrested in January 2021 upon returning to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from nerve-agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin.
He initially received a 2 1/2-year prison sentence for a parole violation. Last year, he was sentenced to a nine-year term for fraud and contempt of court. He is currently serving time at a maximum-security prison 250 kilometres (150 miles) east of Moscow.
Also Read | Russian opposition leader Navalny sent to tiny one-man cell
The new extremism charges against Navalny relate to the activities of his anti-corruption foundation and statements by his top associates. His ally Leonid Volkov said the accusations retroactively criminalise all the activities of Navalny's foundation since its creation in 2011 and carry a potential punishment of up to 35 years in prison.
The charges come as Russian authorities conduct an intensifying crackdown on dissent amid the fighting in Ukraine.
The hearing at Moscow's Basmanny District Court was held to discuss preparations for Navalny's trial on the extremism charges. Speaking via video link from prison, Navalny asked for more time to study the 196 case files.
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