Alexei Navalny, the prominent critic of the Kremlin, has been sentenced to more jail time at a trial held in a remote penal colony. He was found guilty of founding and funding an extremist organization, which he vehemently denies. This comes in addition to the nine-year term he is already serving for other charges widely seen as politically motivated.
The trial took place at a prison hall in Penal Colony No 6, located 240km (150 miles) east of Moscow, conducted behind closed doors. Navalny will now be transferred to an even more restrictive “special regime colony,” leading to greater isolation and limited communication with others.
In his social media message before the verdict, Navalny predicted a harsh sentence aimed at intimidating dissenters. The trial being held remotely indicates the Russian authorities’ attempt to avoid publicity.
The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, expressed grave concerns about the abuse of the court system for political purposes in Russia due to this new sentence.
Navalny’s vocal criticism of corruption in Russian power and his ability to mobilize large anti-government protests made him a charismatic campaigner. He survived a poisoning in 2020, with evidence pointing to Russia’s internal security service’s involvement. Upon his return to Russia in 2021, he was arrested immediately.
Further charges, including terrorism-related ones, may await Navalny in the future, according to investigators.