Russia targets lawyers for imprisoned opposition leader Navalny

Since Navalny’s preliminary detention in 2021, he has been routinely subjected to harsh remedy behind bars — typically positioned in solitary confinement and denied medical care.

Navalny press secretary Kira Yarmysh wrote on X — beforehand known as Twitter — that the authorized professionals had been detained “so that Alexei is with out approved security … and to ship an indication to completely different authorized professionals: it’s dangerous to defend him and completely different political prisoners.”

The home of a fourth Navalny lawyer, Olga Mikhailova, was raided Friday, nonetheless Mikhailova was acknowledged to be in another country.

The director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, Ivan Zhdanov, wrote that authorities had searched the properties of authorized professionals Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin and Alexey Liptser as part of an investigation into their suspected involvement in an “extremist” group.

The extremism value in opposition to Navalny was based totally on his administration of the Anti-Corruption Foundation, which labored to draw consideration to public graft and likewise referred to as for democracy and truthful elections in Russia.

Russia formally designated the muse an extremist group in 2021. The group’s high-profile investigations into alleged corruption included an inquiry into President Vladimir Putin’s personal wealth and a lavish Black Sea palace allegedly linked to the president. The Kremlin has denied that Putin owns it.

Navalny’s authorized professionals might face up to six years in jail if convicted.

“For positive, that is part of a step to totally isolate Navalny,” Zhdanov wrote.

Displaying at a courtroom listening to Friday, Navalny was educated regarding the raids by a Russian journalist. One in all many authorized professionals, Kobzev, was due in courtroom to characterize Navalny in a lawsuit that Navalny has filed in opposition to the jail the place he’s being held.

“Holy sh–,” Navalny responded to the knowledge, apparently caught abruptly.

“Information has merely arrived that, in any case, utterly characterizes not solely my trial, however moreover the ultimate state of legality in Russia,” Navalny acknowledged, addressing the select. “As in Soviet events, not solely political activists are persecuted and was political prisoners, however moreover their authorized professionals.”

Navalny requested that the listening to be postponed, and it has been rescheduled for Nov. 1.