In a stark illustration of Russia’s ongoing crackdown on dissent, three attorneys who previously defended prominent opposition figure Alexei Navalny commenced trial this Thursday. The defendants—Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin, and Alexei Liptser—were apprehended in October 2023 and face allegations of engaging with extremist organizations, echoing the accusations leveled against Navalny’s advocacy groups.
This legal proceeding is perceived as a deliberate move to intimidate and deter lawyers from representing political dissidents in Russia. Alexei Navalny, celebrated for being President Vladimir Putin’s most vocal opponent, was serving a 19-year prison sentence after being convicted on various charges that many view as politically motivated.
Navalny’s organizations, notably the Foundation for Fighting Corruption and its extensive network of regional offices, were classified as “extremist” in 2021. Many critics assert that these accusations serve the purpose of quelling opposition voices and stifling any dissenting views.
According to authorities, the lawyers are accused of relaying sensitive information from Navalny back to his team. Navalny had returned to Russia in 2021 from Germany, where he recuperated after a near-fatal nerve agent poisoning incident, which he attributes to the Kremlin’s actions.
Originally sentenced to 2½ years in prison, his term was extended following two additional trials. Both Navalny and his supporters maintain that the ongoing legal actions against him are unfounded and crafted to ensure he remains imprisoned indefinitely.
In a significant shift, Navalny was relocated to a penal colony situated in the Arctic Circle in December 2023. Tragically, he passed away there in February 2024 under mysterious circumstances, at the age of 47. His widow, Yulia Navalnaya, along with supporters, have accused the Kremlin of orchestrating his death, a claim that Russian officials resolutely deny.
The trial for the three lawyers is being held in Petushki, a town located east of Moscow. The court dismissed requests to transfer the case to the capital, citing procedural issues despite the lawyers’ prior detainment there. Earlier this year, they had been moved to a detention facility in the Vladimir region, the same area where Navalny was held.
During the proceedings, the judge barred the public from attending the trial, disregarding protests from the defense team. Prior to the closure, the lawyers appeared in a secured defendants’ cage. Should they be found guilty, the maximum penalty could reach six years in prison.
Meanwhile, two additional lawyers from Navalny’s team, Olga Mikhailova and Alexander Fedulov, are on a wanted list but have since fled Russia. Mikhailova, who spent a decade defending Navalny, has been charged in absentia with extremism.
For political prisoners in Russia, legal visits often represent the sole link to the outside world, providing crucial updates to families and serving to shine a light on potential mistreatment within prison systems. Human rights groups, including Memorial, which is a Nobel Prize-winning organization, have termed Kobzev, Liptser, and Sergunin as political prisoners and are advocating for their swift release.
This article incorporates reporting from The Associated Press.