Webdesk: A court official told AFP that a key ally of former Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny went on trial in Siberia for setting up a “extremist organisation.”
According to her allies, former lawmaker Ksenia Fadeyeva, who headed Navalny’s Tomsk office, added to Russia’s “terrorist” list in January 2022 and faces up to 12 years in prison.
As per to his spokeswoman, a Russian court sentenced former opposition leader Navalny to 19 years in prison last week for new extremism charges.
According to AFP, Navalny’s friends believe he imprisoned for politically motivated embezzlement.
“Alexey Navalny sentenced to 19 years at a maximum security penal colony,” spokesperson Kira Yarmysh stated.
Navalny called his arrest in Russia after returning from Germany, where he poisoned, a “Stalinist” fresh trial.
“It’s long-term. “That’s a ‘Stalinist’ term,” Alexei Navalny declared while awaiting verdict.
Moreover, Navalny’s supporters saw his nine-year embezzlement conviction as political vengeance. The prosecution sought a 20-year sentence.
“A heavy sentence’s main purpose is to intimidate,” remarked the former Russian opposition leader. Not me.
Navalny has a tremendous social media following and has organised massive anti-government protests using films exposing Russian elite corruption.
While, He again urged Russians to resist tyranny.
“When the sentence announced, please think about only one, really important thought—what else I personally do to resist?” he urged. It’s okay to refuse safely. “Silence is shame,” he remarked.
Moreover, His organisation branded extremist in 2021, putting staff, volunteers, and supporters at danger of punishment.
