Navalny term could be extended under cover of Ukraine crisis

Navalny term could be extended under cover of Ukraine crisis
Opposition politician Alexei Navalny faces charges of insulting a judge and embezzling from his own anti-corruption fund. / Image: Bogomolov.PL via Wiki Commons.
By bne intellinews February 16, 2022

A new trial has started against Russian anti-corruption campaigner and politician Alexei Navalny. Having already served a year of his 3.5-year sentence, Navalny’s term could be extended by up to 15 years on charges of embezzling from his own anti-corruption organisation.

Critics say that the trial, which is being held in his prison colony during the height of the stand-off between Russia and Nato over Ukraine, is being snuck under the radar.

“The people in the Kremlin are so scared of him that he will become the first person in Russia who will be tried in prison. They want to hide him from everyone, from supporters, from journalists,” wrote his wife Yulia Navalnaya in an Instagram post.

The fresh charges against Navalny include insulting a judge in a previous trial and embezzling funds from his own anti-corruption organisation, which was vocal in exposing alleged corruption in Russian politics and business. The organisation has now been closed down by the state.

Proceedings began on Tuesday, 15 February, but reporters who entered the courtroom said that they were not allowed to bring recording equipment, laptops or phones, according to reports by the Guardian.

A documentary film about Navalny’s experience recovering from an apparent poisoning attempt with Novichok was showed at the Sundance film festival earlier this year.

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