Russian Court Sentences Lawyers of Late Opposition Leader Navalny

A Russian court in Petushki has sentenced three lawyers who represented the late opposition figure Aleksei Navalny to lengthy prison terms, asserting they were part of an extremist group for passing along communications. This ruling highlights ongoing Kremlin efforts to silence Navalny's supporters following his demise in a penal colony.

In a significant ruling that underscores ongoing political repression in Russia, a court has sentenced three lawyers associated with the late opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny to prison terms ranging from three and a half to five and a half years. This decision came after the individuals were charged with disseminating correspondence from Navalny to his allies, showcasing the Kremlin's relentless pursuit of his associates even after his death in a penal colony last year.

The lawyers, Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin, and Aleksei Liptser, were apprehended in October 2023 while Navalny was imprisoned in a high-security facility in Siberia. Their arrests have been perceived as a calculated move by authorities to cut off any remaining connections Navalny had with his supporters. The city court, situated in Petushki—around 80 miles east of Moscow—took the stance that these lawyers played a role in an extremist organization, as reported by Russian news outlets from the proceedings.

Despite his death, Navalny's prominence continues to resonate within Russia as its most recognized opposition figure. He had remained a staunch critic of President Vladimir V. Putin's government, leading to the banning of his nationwide movement as extremist shortly before Russia's military actions in Ukraine began in 2022.

Kobzev received the harshest punishment of five and a half years, Liptser was sentenced to five years, while Sergunin, who is the only one to have admitted guilt, was given three and a half years. In response, Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny's widow, condemned the sentencing, labeling them as political prisoners and calling for their immediate release. Prominent ally Lyubov Sobol echoed these sentiments via social media, asserting that the ruling was a vengeful act orchestrated by the Kremlin against those loyal to Navalny until the very end.