Alexei Navalny gets 19 more years in prison for extremism.
Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny Sentenced to 19 Additional Years in Prison
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been handed a staggering 19-year prison sentence for charges related to extremism. The verdict was delivered by Judge Andrei Suvorov on Friday, as reported by Russian state media. Navalny was found guilty of various offenses, including creating and participating in an extremist community, financing extremist activities, organizing an extremist community, making public calls for extremist activity, and involving minors in dangerous activities, according to TASS.
The former technical director of Navalny’s YouTube channel, Daniel Kholodny, also faced similar charges and received a sentence of eight years in a penal colony, albeit of a less severe nature than Navalny’s.
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Navalny’s sentence fell just one year short of what state prosecutors had sought for the ailing dissident. His case has garnered international attention and support from advocates for political prisoners worldwide. Initially, he was sentenced to under three years upon his return to Russia from Germany in January 2021. However, following protests in his favor, an additional nine years were added to his sentence.
The United States wasted no time in condemning the increased sentence imposed on Navalny. Secretary of State Antony Blinken took to Twitter, stating, “The United States strongly condemns Russia’s conviction of opposition leader Aleksey Navalny on politically motivated charges. The Kremlin cannot silence the truth. Navalny should be released.”
The Russian court declared Navalny a “particularly dangerous recidivist,” leading to his placement in a “special regime” prison colony. These colonies are known for their severity, with the infamous Black Dolphin Prison in Sol-Iletsk being one of the most restrictive prisons in the world.
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In his closing statement on July 20, as reported by Meduza, Navalny maintained a hopeful outlook, drawing a parallel between his situation and that of parents who have a child.
“In order for a new, free, rich country to be born, it has to have parents,” he said. “Those who want it. Those who expect it and are willing to make some sacrifices for its birth, knowing that it will be worth it. This doesn’t mean that everyone has to go to prison. It’s more of a lottery, and that ticket was drawn by me. But everyone has to make some kind of sacrifice, make some kind of effort.”
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