Russia; Alexei Navalny has arrived in court from prison, head close-shaven and face skinny, and blamed Vladimir Putin for trying to control Russia “forever” and worrying only about “clinging to power”.It is the opposition politician’s primary public appearance after starting a 2.5-year jail course, seen as penance for his severe criticism of the Kremlin. Navalny conversed through video link, his prison kit fixing loosely after a recent 24-day hunger strike over his treatment.
His language was as strong as ever. President Putin was a “king with no clothes”, he said, who was “robbing the people” and stripping Russians of a future. Russians were being “turned into slaves”.The judge denied Navalny’s appeal against a penalty for maligning a Soviet World War Two veteran who had risen in a pro-Kremlin video. Navalny said his weight in jail had dropped to 72kg (11.3 stones), the same as he weighed in school. But even as the Kremlin critic talked, another court over Moscow was reviewing a petition by the prosecutor to halt all his political organizations as “extremist”.
Expecting the court’s decision, Navalny’s right-hand man Leonid Volkov declared that some three dozen “Navalny headquarters” were being dismissed, to guard staff and followers against pursuit. The offices were established up in 2017 ahead of Navalny’s effort to confront Vladimir Putin for the presidency; he was prevented from even entering the race. On Monday, the Moscow prosecutor barred all movement by the offices, pending the court judgment. The actions of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) have also been bound.”To make it clear, this decision destroys our political organization in Russia,” Leonid Volkov told. He was speaking from abroad, where he has existed since 2019 for safety as he encounters various criminal charges himself.
“There is no way we can continue to operate in the country,” the activist said, continuing that the extremism laws bear the punishment of up to 10 years in prison. The “extremist” branding would be deadly, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia have discovered out since the religious organization was banned in 2017 on the same grounds almost 500 of its followers have overlooked criminal prosecution. Dozens are toiling strong penalties. So, across Russia, staff who once acted for Team Navalny have hurried to clear out their offices and remove social media accounts and chats.
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In St Petersburg, where followers queued round the block four years ago when the politician cleared into the city to start his first regional headquarters, there is now no sign his team was ever there. But the strength of Alexei Navalny’s campaign was two-fold, his charismatic leadership and the construction he put in place, supporting activists across the nation. Gathering through social media, they have staged street demonstrations, expanded anti-Kremlin candidates for election, and carried anti-corruption investigations against top-level officials that have gone viral. But the threshold of their pursuits has completed.
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