Factbox-What Are Russia’s New Costs Towards Opposition Politician Alexei Navalny?

(Reuters) – Russian state prosecutors on Thursday requested a courtroom to condemn jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny to an extra 20 years in a penal colony on numerous legal fees, together with extremism.

Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s fiercest and most vocal home opponent, is already serving sentences totalling 11-1/2 years on fraud and different fees which he says have been trumped as much as silence him.

The decision in his trial is predicted on Aug. 4. Listed here are some information in regards to the fees he’s going through.

WHAT ARE THE NEW CHARGES?

– Creation of an extremist group;- Rehabilitation of Nazism;

– Two counts of public requires extremism, one at a rally and one other on-line;

– Creation of an NGO (Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Fund), whose actions are accused of being related to incitement to commit crimes;

– Involvement of a minor in committing unlawful acts (stemming from the truth that folks underneath 18 attended Navalny’s rallies);

– Elevating funds to finance extremism.

Navalny says the costs, like all these earlier than them, have been fabricated as a way to maintain him out of public life and politics.

“After all we’re prepared for this – what different choices are there?” Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh advised Reuters on Thursday. “Alexei is in jail not attributable to a courtroom’s determination, however by the order of Putin. Clearly his sentence additionally depends upon how lengthy Putin stays in energy.”

WHAT DOES THE KREMLIN SAY ABOUT THE CASE?

The Kremlin denies persecuting Navalny, whom it has portrayed as a Western-backed agent of political disruption, and says his case is solely a authorized matter for the courts.

“We aren’t following this trial,” Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised reporters final month.

HOW MANY MORE YEARS COULD NAVALNY FACE IN PRISON?

State prosecutors have requested 20 years, however Navalny mentioned in April that investigators had additionally opened what he known as an “absurd” terrorism case towards him that would see him sentenced to an extra 30 years in jail.

It was not clear what the terrorism case might relate to, however Russia’s Federal Safety Service has mentioned that Ukraine and Russian opposition figures from a fund arrange by Navalny have been behind the killing of a outstanding Russian conflict blogger.

Terrorism is punishable in Russia for as much as 35 years in jail.

(Reporting by Filipp Lebedev; Extra reporting by Lucy Papachristou; Modifying by Andrew Osborn and Alison Williams)

Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters.