Three lawyers who once represented the late Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny were sentenced Friday as part of an intensifying Kremlin crackdown on dissent. The court in Petushki, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) east of Moscow, handed sentences ranging from 3 ½ to 5 years to Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin, and Alexei Liptser, who were arrested in October 2023 on charges of involvement with extremist groups.
The convictions are widely seen as an effort to pressure opposition voices and discourage defense lawyers from taking on politically sensitive cases. Navalny’s organizations had been labeled extremist in 2021, a move criticized as politically motivated.
Suppression of Dissent
At the time of their arrest, Navalny was serving a 19-year prison sentence on charges, including extremism. He passed away in a Russian prison in February 2023 under circumstances that remain unclear, sparking accusations from his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, and allies that the Kremlin was involved in his death. Russian officials have denied these claims.
Kobzev, speaking in court before his sentencing, stated, “We are being tried for transmitting Navalny’s thoughts to other people.” According to Navalny’s allies, the lawyers were accused of using their positions to pass messages between Navalny and his team.
Broader Repercussions
The case has drawn international condemnation as a blatant suppression of dissent. Human rights advocates, including the Nobel Prize-winning group Memorial, have designated the three lawyers as political prisoners and demanded their release.
Independent Russian media reported further repercussions against Navalny’s supporters. Konstantin Kotov, an activist accused of donating to Navalny’s organization, fled Russia before his court date. His decision followed the sentencing of a heart surgeon, Ivan Tishchenko, to four years in prison for donating approximately $34 to Navalny’s cause.
Targeting Navalny’s Network
Navalny, a vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin, rose to prominence as an anti-corruption campaigner. After surviving a nerve agent poisoning in 2020, which he blamed on the Kremlin, Navalny was arrested upon returning to Russia in 2021. His organizations—the Foundation for Fighting Corruption and a network of regional offices—were outlawed as extremist groups later that year.
The crackdown extended to his legal team, with two other lawyers, Olga Mikhailova and Alexander Fedulov, now on Russia’s wanted list. Mikhailova, who defended Navalny for a decade, was charged in absentia with extremism and has since left the country.
International Implications
The sentencing of Navalny’s lawyers underscores the escalating measures by Russian authorities to stifle dissent and silence critics. It highlights the risks faced by those who challenge the Kremlin, including legal professionals defending high-profile opposition figures.
