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Russia Jails Navalny's Lawyers Kobzev, Liptser, Sergunin on Extremism Charges

Jan 17, 2025, 08:46 AM

A Russian court has sentenced three former lawyers of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny—Vadim Kobzev, Alexei Liptser, and Igor Sergunin—to prison terms ranging from 3.5 to 5.5 years on charges of participating in an extremist organization. They were accused of facilitating Navalny's political activities from prison by allegedly passing messages, including letters that formed part of his posthumously published book 'The Patriot'. The trial was conducted behind closed doors, and several journalists attempting to attend were reportedly arrested. The verdict has been condemned as another step in silencing dissent in Russia and undermining the principle of the rule of law. Navalny, a prominent Kremlin critic, died in prison in February 2024.