Russia: opponent Alexeï Navalny claims to be prosecuted in three criminal investigations

A poster of Russian opponent Alexei Navalny being covered up in the streets of Saint Petersburg.

April 28, 2021. REUTERS - ANTON VAGANOV

Text by: RFI Follow

4 min

Alexeï Navalny said on Tuesday that he had been informed of the opening of three new investigations against him in Russia.

In a message posted on his Instagram account, the opponent to Russian President Vladimir Putin specifies that an investigator came to visit him in his prison to inform him of these investigations.

Publicity

Read more

The imprisoned Russian opponent Alexeï Navalny says he is targeted by three new criminal investigations, the pressure increasing in recent weeks against his movement and his supporters.

On his Instagram account, he indicated that he was accused of the embezzlement of “all donations” made to his anti-corruption organization (FBK), as well as of the creation of a group “undermining the rights of people” and of insulting to a judge in a recent trial.

The 44-year-old opponent claims to have been visited in his cell by an inspector from the powerful Investigation Committee, in charge of the main criminal investigations.

“ 

He told me that in our dear Russia, three serious new cases are being investigated.

And 21 investigators deal with it at the highest level.

And for each of them, the criminal is me,

 ”writes the activist.

See also:

Russia: a law to exclude supporters of Navalny from the elections

Last week, the director of the opponent's anti-corruption fund, Ivan Zhdanov had indicated that numerous collaborators and ex-employees had been summoned by investigators and that the authorities were seeking to "add to Navalny up to ten years" from prison.

Vladimir Putin's United Russia party is in decline

The announcement comes as the Russian courts are also currently examining a

request to classify the organization, the FBK

and the regional offices of Navalny as " 

extremists 

", which would expose their collaborators to heavy penalties.

With the approach of the legislative elections of September, the lower house of the Parliament must also adopt this Tuesday in second reading a law prohibiting the people implied in organizations " 

extremist 

" to take part in this ballot.

Alexei Navalny's team denounces a maneuver aimed at

depriving its supporters of elections

, while the popularity of Vladimir Putin's United Russia party is in decline amid economic stagnation and corruption scandals.

In recent years, United Russia has experienced several failures in local elections and the Kremlin's number one detractor was counting on this unpopularity, by presenting his candidates or encouraging them to vote for the candidate best placed against that of the Kremlin.

Extremist 

" organization

Since his arrest, followed by demonstrations across Russia suppressed by the police, the authorities have begun to dismantle the opponent's movement, several of whose executives have fled abroad.

According to the Russian prosecutor, Alexeï Navalny's organizations seek to “ 

destabilize 

” the socio-political situation in Russia “ 

under the guise of liberal slogans 

”.

If they are recognized as " 

extremists 

", they will join a list including those of Jehovah's Witnesses and neo-Nazi groups.

To read also:

Three days in the life of Alexeï Navalny

The regional offices of Navalny already announced their self-dissolution in April after having already been added to a list of " 

extremist and terrorist

 " organizations compiled by the Russian financial intelligence service.

 Founded in 2011, Navalny's main organization, the FBK, is known for its investigations denouncing corruption in Russian power circles.

The most resounding, published in January, accused Vladimir Putin of having had a palace built on the Black Sea.

Seen 116 million times on YouTube, it forced Mr. Putin to personally deny it

To read also: Alexeï Navalny: the birth of an opposition leader

Newsletter

Receive all international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_FR

  • Russia

  • Alexei Navalny

  • Vladimir Poutine

  • Justice