Russia Jails Navalny's Lawyers for Extremism Over 'The Patriot' Messages

Jan 17, 2025, 09:09 AM

A Russian court has sentenced three lawyers of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny to prison terms ranging from 3.5 to 5.5 years on charges of extremism. The lawyers—Vadim Kobzev, Alexei Liptser, and Igor Sergunin—were arrested in October 2023 and convicted of participating in an extremist organization by allegedly passing messages from Navalny's prison to his supporters. These messages formed part of Navalny's posthumously published book, 'The Patriot.' Navalny died in prison in February 2024. The verdict is part of a broader crackdown on dissent in Russia.