The Russian judiciary has begun a criminal trial of three defenders of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who died in custody. At the trial in Petushki, a small town about 120 km east of Moscow, they are accused of belonging to an extremist organization, the Anti-Corruption Fund (FBK), founded by Navalny. According to a court observer, the presiding judge quickly excluded the public from the trial of Vadim Kobsev, Alexei Lipzer and Igor Sergunin. She cited police warnings about provocations by Navalny’s supporters as the reason.
According to Russian criminal law, the three lawyers face prison terms ranging from two to six years and a ban from practicing for several years. The defense lawyers were arrested in October 2023, while the trial of their already imprisoned client Navalny was still ongoing. With this step, the Russian judicial system wanted to completely isolate the Kremlin critic, who was suspected by then FBK director Ivan Zhdanov. Navalny also communicated with the public from prison. He died in February 2024 under unclear circumstances in a Russian prison camp in the Arctic Circle.
Civil rights activists warn that the persecution of lawyers, opposition lawmakers and dissidents is further undermining the rule of law in Russia.
