In a move that further exacerbates tensions between the Russian government and the opposition, imprisoned activist Alexey Navalny has been handed a 19-year prison sentence on extremism charges. The verdict, delivered on Friday, marked Navalny’s fifth criminal conviction and is the longest sentence of the three he has received. The prosecution had sought a 20-year sentence, and Navalny himself had anticipated a lengthy, “Stalinist” term.
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Navalny, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin, appeared before the judge wearing his prison uniform and maintained a defiant stance, dismissing the charges as an attempt to silence his opposition. He is currently serving a nine-year sentence for fraud and contempt of court in a penal colony near Moscow and was additionally sentenced to 2.5 years in prison in 2021 for a parole violation. The latest trial took place behind closed doors in the same colony.
