Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalni, known to be an enemy of the Kremlin, began trial on Monday in a new “extremism” trial, which could lead to decades in prison. This trial is taking place amid a climate of repression in Russia due to the conflict in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the military campaign in Ukraine in February 2022, most of the main opponents who did not flee the country have been imprisoned or persecuted, mainly for denouncing the conflict.
Navalni, renowned for his anti-corruption investigations, is already serving a nine-year prison sentence for “fraud,” a conviction he considers political. The 47-year-old oppositionist, who survived a 2020 poisoning he attributes to the Kremlin, has been in prison since January 2021.
In this new trial, Navalni faces charges of “extremism” and “rehabilitation of Nazi ideology,” which could lead to him receiving a prison sentence of up to 30 years. The trial began at the IK-6 high-security penal colony in Melekhovo, located 250 km east of Moscow, and Navalni was present in the courtroom with his lawyers. At the beginning of the trial, he requested that his parents be allowed into the courtroom.
Navalni has also mentioned a “terrorism” case against him, which could lead to life imprisonment, although few details are known. The terms of the “extremism” charge are unclear, and Navalni’s defense had only 10 days to examine the 196 volumes of the case.
The opponent accuses the Kremlin of wanting to keep him in prison for life in retaliation for his criticism, which he has not stopped expressing despite his imprisonment. Through his team, Navalni continues to publish his opinions on social networks, especially to denounce the crackdown in Ukraine.
Navalni is reportedly suffering particularly harsh treatment in prison, where he has lost weight and is subjected to solitary confinement on the slightest pretext. The opposition figure claims that he has been sent to the disciplinary cell 16 times, a place where detainees are held alone and living conditions are drastic.
The prison administration has been accused by Navalni of harassing him, such as by putting him next to a detainee with a viral infection and a bad smell or forcing prisoners to listen to speeches by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite the hardships of his detention, Navalni has claimed to maintain high morale and expressed his desire for a better future, which will only be possible if people are willing to pay the price for having convictions.