Russian court finds Kremlin critic Navalny guilty of fraud

Russian court finds Kremlin critic Navalny guilty of fraud


Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is seen on a screen via a video link during the verdict in his embezzlement and contempt of court trial at the IK-2 prison colony in the town of Pokrov in Vladimir Region on March 22, 2022.

– | Afp | Getty Images

A Russian court found jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny guilty of large-scale fraud on Tuesday, a move likely to see the time that President Vladimir Putin’s most prominent critic spends in jail extended by years.

Navalny is already serving a two-and-a-half sentence at a prison camp east of Moscow for parole violations related to charges he says were fabricated to thwart his political ambitions.

In the latest criminal case against him, which he has also dismissed as politically-motivated, he could have up to 13 years added to that sentence.

A gaunt Navalny stood besides his lawyers in a room filled with prison security officers as the judge read out the accusations against him. The 45-year-old seemed unfazed, looking down as he flipped through court documents.

Prosecutors had asked the court to send him to a maximum-security penal colony for 13 years on charges of fraud and contempt of court. A ruling is expected later on Tuesday.

Navalny was jailed last year when he returned to Russia after receiving medical treatment in Germany following a poison attack with a Soviet-era nerve agent during a visit to Siberia in 2020. Navalny blamed Putin for the attack.

The Kremlin said it had seen no evidence that Navalny was poisoned and denied any Russian role if he was.

After the last court hearing into his case on March 15, Navalny struck a typically defiant tone, writing via Instagram: “If the prison term is the price of my human right to say things that need to be said … then they can ask for 113 years. I will not renounce my words or deeds.”

Russian authorities have cast Navalny and his supporters as subversives determined to destabilise Russia with backing from the West. Many of Navalny’s allies have fled Russia rather than face restrictions or jail at home.

Navalny’s opposition movement has been labelled “extremist” and shut down, although his supporters continue to express their political stance, including their opposition to Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine, on social media.



Source

I’ve worked with over 1,000 kids—if you want your child to trust you, do 6 things
World

I’ve worked with over 1,000 kids—if you want your child to trust you, do 6 things

Parents want their kids to trust them. They want to be the first person their child turns to with the big stuff, the hard stuff, and the exciting stuff. They want their kids to feel safe enough to ask questions and share emotions. But none of that happens automatically, and trust doesn’t come from simply […]

Read More
Top Wall Street analysts prefer these dividend stocks for consistent returns
World

Top Wall Street analysts prefer these dividend stocks for consistent returns

The Home Depot logo is displayed outside a store on March 10, 2025 in San Diego, California. Kevin Carter | Getty Images Earnings of major U.S. companies and the uncertainty around tariffs continued to impact investor sentiment this week. While the stock market remains volatile, investors seeking consistent returns could add some attractive dividend stocks […]

Read More
Berkshire has been selling a top healthcare holding it’s owned for over a decade. Here’s why
World

Berkshire has been selling a top healthcare holding it’s owned for over a decade. Here’s why

Berkshire Hathaway resumed selling shares of DaVita , a provider of kidney dialysis services, after the holding more than quadrupled in price. A new regulatory filing this week revealed that Berkshire sold another 200,010 shares of DaVita through multiple transactions between May 22-27. Berkshire remains DaVita’s biggest institutional investor with a 42.3% stake, according to […]

Read More