Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was sentenced to an additional 19 years in prison after being found guilty on extremism charges in a new case, according to Russian media reports.
This is a fresh blow to a fierce critic of Russia’s President Putin that comes amid an intensifying crackdown on dissent.
Navalny, who has been in jail since January 2023, is already serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence for violating the terms of a suspended sentence in an embezzlement case that he says was politically motivated. The new sentence means that Navalny will now spend over two decades behind bars.
The sentencing has been met with condemnation from human rights groups and Western governments, who have called for Navalny’s release. However, the Russian government has dismissed these calls, stating that Navalny’s case is a domestic matter and that foreign interference is not welcome.
EXCLUSIVE: ALL Questions Asked: Peter Obi Live on Parallel Facts!
POPULAR THIS MONTH:
BIG STORY: INEC Disabling FCT Results
