Putin opponent Alexei Navalny faces 13-year prison sentence

Russian prosecutors are seeking a 13-year prison sentence for politician Alexei Navalny, who stands accused of fraud and contempt of court.

A judge heard closing arguments on the opposition leader’s month-long trial Tuesday. Navalny argues charges against him are politically motivated. He is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s most vocal critics in the country.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny stands in a cage in the Babuskinsky District Court in Moscow, Russia, on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/)

The 45-year-old activist is already serving a two-and-a-half year sentence in a prison colony east of Moscow. That’s where the trial unfolded, much to the chagrin of Navalny advocates, who complained the isolated location made it difficult for media and supporters to follow deliberations. His defense team claimed it was not allowed to bring cell phones or laptops into the courtroom. He was convicted of parole violations.

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Navalny was taken into custody at the start of 2021 when he returned from a German hospital, recovering from being poisoned. Russian officials deny any involvement. His arrest kicked off a crackdown on allies. Navalny’s Foundation for Fighting Corruption was ruled an extremist operation and its more than three-dozen operations were shut down.

Putin’s armed forces continued their unprovoked attack on Ukraine Tuesday. Reuters estimates the bloody assault has left 15,000 people dead and 3 million displaced since the Russian aggression began on Feb. 24.

With News Wire Services