Key takeaways:
- Alexei Navalny appeared in court on Monday to face new charges of extremism that could extend his prison term by decades.
- The charges stem from Navalny’s alleged involvement in an anti-government group called the “Network,” which prosecutors say was created to overthrow the Russian government.
- The trial is expected to last several days, with a verdict expected in the coming weeks. Navalny has denied the charges, calling them “absurd” and “politically motivated.”
Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny appeared in court on Monday to face new charges of extremism that could extend his prison term by decades. The trial was held at the IK-6 penal colony in Melekhovo, about 145 miles east of Moscow, where Navalny is already serving sentences totaling 11.5 years.
Navalny, 47, looked thin with cropped hair and dressed in a black prison uniform, seated at a desk, leafing through papers and conferring with one of his lawyers. Journalists were not admitted to the courtroom, but were able to watch a video link from a room nearby, with barely intelligible audio.
Navalny is a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has exposed official corruption and organized major anti-Kremlin protests. He was arrested in January 2021 upon returning to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from nerve agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin.
The charges of extremism stem from Navalny’s alleged involvement in an anti-government group called the “Network,” which prosecutors say was created to overthrow the Russian government. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison.
The trial is expected to last several days, with a verdict expected in the coming weeks. Navalny has denied the charges, calling them “absurd” and “politically motivated.” His lawyers have argued that the case should be dismissed due to lack of evidence.
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