Russia

Alexei Navalny Faces Decades in Prison as New Trial Begins

JUN 19 2023·Updated AUG 27

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Image credit: WIkimedia Commons

The Facts

A new trial involving jailed Putin critic Alexei Navalny, in which he faces multiple counts of extremism that could reportedly extend his prison term by up to three decades, began on Monday in the penal colony where he is being held.
BBC News
Charged with crimes including financing and publicly inciting extremist activities, as well as "rehabilitating the Nazi ideology," Navalny claimed that the 3,828-page document describing his alleged crimes fails to precisely state what he is accused of.
Le Monde
While the proceedings were closed to the public — as Moscow City Court expressed concerns over provocations against those involved in Navalny's hearing at the IK-6 penal colony at Melekhovo — a live streaming was organized, reportedly with poor audio quality.
CNN
Russia's 47-year-old opposition leader is already serving an eleven-and-a-half-year sentence which began in January 2021 upon his return to the country, after he recovered from an alleged near-fatal Novichok poisoning.
The Moscow Times
This latest trial comes amid a sweeping crackdown on dissent in Russia, which Navalny and his allies deem a politically motivated effort to silence his campaign against Putin and the Ukraine war.
Independent
When asked about the trial, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied that the government has any involvement in Navalny's case and stated that Moscow was not following it.
Sky News

Sources Split

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The Spin

Anti-Russia narrative

Navalny's prison sentence is a politically motivated sham and the new trial is just another excuse for the Russian authorities to put him away for life on trumped-up charges. Navalny uncovered evidence of endemic corruption by the Kremlin elite and, despite united calls from the West for Navalny's release without delay, Moscow will not risk the damage his voice could do in undermining Putin's autocratic leadership.

ABC News

Pro-Russia narrative

Russia's non-systemic political opposition continues to engage in terrorism while the West portrays its actions as heroism. Supporters of Navalny and their consequent organizations have pledged their allegiance to violence and waging war on their own people. These criminals will not be met with open discussion but, rather, brought to immediate justice.

TASS