Russian opposition activist Alexej Navalny failed in his attempt to appeal the jail sentence imposed on him: a Russian court upheld the verdict on Tuesday. Navalny must serve his nine years behind bars. The March 22 sentence remains unchanged and will take effect immediately, a Moscow judge said on Tuesday. This means that Navalny will be transferred to a penal colony with significantly harsher prison conditions. During the hearing, Navalny verbally attacked Russian President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine.
Navalny was sentenced in March to nine years in prison on charges of embezzlement and contempt of court. Navalny, who was already in prison, took part in the court hearing via a video link – behind bars. Dressed in black prisoner clothes and a winter coat, he seemed calm at first and joked about sound transmission problems.
“I despise your court”
He followed the verdict with a grumpy face and didn’t mince his words when he was allowed to speak one last time at the end of the trial: “I despise your court, your system,” he said, and the trial made “no sense.” .”
He called Russian President Putin a madman. “This is a stupid war your Putin started,” Navalny said in the live video link. “This war is based on lies.” Although he was repeatedly interrupted by the judge, Navalny was not deterred. Russia is run by thieves and criminals who have become enemies of the Russian people, he says.
Navalny would like to see family again
The appeals process began last week, but Navalny asked for the hearing to be postponed by a week so he could meet with his family again before being transferred to another penal colony.
The opposition member has been in prison since January 2021 on other charges. In March, a court ruled that Navalny had used millions of euros in donations to his political organizations for personal purposes.
Russia takes massive action against critics
Navalny was arrested in January 2021 after returning from Berlin. In Germany, he spent several months recovering from a nerve agent attack, which he blames on the Kremlin. Moscow denies the charges.
Since his imprisonment, Russian authorities have cracked down on critical voices and independent media – especially since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine. The main Navalny organizations were banned. The Kremlin’s own critic and some of his associates were placed on the authorities’ list of “terrorists and extremists” in January.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
