Three legal representatives of Navalny in Russia face accusations of promoting "radical ideologies"
In Russia, three lawyers of the late political dissident Alexei Navalny are currently on trial for alleged "extremism" offenses. The trial of Vadim Kobsev, Alexei Lipzer, and Igor Sergunin commenced on a Thursday in a court situated in the Vladimir region, east of Moscow, as reported by a journalist from the AFP news agency. If found guilty, they face a potential sentence of up to six years in prison.
As the trial began, the three defendants were escorted into a cage within the courtroom. The presiding judge granted the prosecutor's petition for the proceedings to be conducted in private, resulting in the forced evacuation of spectators and reporters from the chamber.
The lawyers were detained in October 2023. They stand accused of belonging to an "extremist" group. Inspectorates affirm that they acted as intermediaries between Navalny and his overseas supporters, enabling the opposition politician to carry on his political activities despite his incarceration.
Navalny's team proclaimed that the lawyers' arrest was an intentional pursuit to further undermine the Kremlin critic, who was still alive at the time and primarily confined to solitary confinement within a penal colony. During a pre-trial hearing, Sergunin admitted guilt, while Kobsev and Lipzer refuted the allegations.
Navalny was one of Vladimir Putin's most vehement critics. He passed away under questionable circumstances in a penitentiary facility situated in the Arctic in February. Since his demise, Russian authorities have escalated their crackdown on Navalny's supporters and associates. Journalists reporting on Navalny's trials have also been apprehended. His supporters...
The defense team of Navalny lawyers strongly objected to the private proceedings, arguing it violated their right to a fair trial. Despite Sergunin's admission of guilt, Kobsev and Lipzer maintained their innocence, emphasizing the role of Navalny's overseas supporters in their alleged extremist activities.
