2023-08-04 13:54:00
© SOTAVision
Following the news that Aleksei Navalny, a prisoner of conscience and leading figure in Russia’s political opposition movement, has been sentenced to 19 years in a penal colony on trumped-up charges of “extremism”, having added at least 10 years to his current 9-year sentence, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:
“This new sentence of at least 10 more years in prison imposed on Aleksei Navalny is practically equivalent to a concealed life sentence. Furthermore, it is not only a sinister act of political revenge directed against Navalny personally, but a warning to government critics across the country. The result of today’s shameful trial is just the latest example of the systematic oppression of Russian civil society, which has intensified since last year’s Russian invasion of Ukraine.”.
“We urge the Russian authorities to end the unjust imprisonment of Aleksei Navalny and release him immediately and unconditionally. The world is watching, and we will continue to denounce the situation until justice is done and Navalny and all the other unjustly imprisoned people are released.”
On August 4, the Moscow City Court sentenced Aleksei Navalny to 19 years in a penal colony on charges of financing and inciting “extremism” and “rehabilitation of Nazi ideology”. This new sentence adds at least another 10 years to his current jail term.
The trial was held at IK-6, a penal colony located in Melekhovo (Vladimir region), where Navalny is currently serving a 9-year sentence on politically motivated charges. Journalists could not access the “room” and had to follow the sessions by video from another building. Several sessions were held behind closed doors for unfounded “security reasons”.
The new charges have to do with the activities of the Navalny Anti-Corruption Foundation, declared illegal by the Russian authorities in 2021, and with statements by its prominent members. One of Navalny’s colleagues, Daniel Kholodny, was transferred from another prison to stand trial alongside him. Kholodny was found guilty of “participating in an extremist community” and “financing extremist activities”, but the prison sentence he was given due to the poor quality of the video signal broadcasting the trial is unknown as of this writing.
The Anti-Corruption Foundation was legally registered in Russia’s register of associations before Aleksei Navalny was imprisoned. The arbitrary designation of it as an “extremist” organization prompted the subsequent prosecution of Navalny and his colleagues on charges related to extremist activities.
Amnesty International has previously raised concerns about Navalny’s confinement in a “punishment cell” due to alleged disciplinary violations, the poor medical care he is receiving and his deteriorating health. The organization concluded that her treatment in the colony amounts to torture and other ill-treatment.
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