The appeal trial of the main Russian opponent, Alexei Navalny, already imprisoned and sentenced again in March to nine years in prison for "
fraud
", resumed on Tuesday May 24, after being returned for a week at his request.
Read alsoRussia: Alexeï Navalny faces fifteen years in prison after a new trial
Before the three judges of the Moscow City Court, the opponent's lawyers opened the proceedings by denouncing an "
unjust verdict
".
Alexei Navalny appears by videoconference from the colony of Pokrov, 100 km from Moscow, where he is serving a first sentence.
“procedural flaws”
Last Tuesday, at the opening of the trial, he had asked for a one-week dismissal in order in particular to see his relatives who had obtained visitation rights during the week.
This judgment “
violates international law and agreements
”, declared at the start of the hearing Olga Mikhaïlova, lawyer for the opponent, pointing to “
procedural defects
”.
She explained that the defense lawyers were unable to use a telephone or computer during the first instance trial which was taking place in a makeshift courtroom in the Pokrov settlement, which she considers to be in violation of the “
rights of defence
”.
“
If the judgment is upheld, Navalny will be transferred to a harsh regime colony for recidivism
,” said Vadim Kobzev, his other lawyer.
"
While there has been no recurrence in four years
," he said.
“Scam”, “contempt of court”
On March 22, the opponent, accused of having embezzled millions of rubles in donations to his anti-corruption organizations, was sentenced to nine years in prison for “
fraud
” and “
contempt of court
”.
This sentence imposed on the charismatic anti-corruption activist includes that pronounced in March 2021 for “
fraud
”, in a case dating back to 2014 and involving the French company Yves Rocher.
The opponent said at the hearing that he had been tried from prison because of the coronavirus while the court was functioning normally.
“
Covid-19 restrictions only applied to me
,” he noted.
The prosecutor, for her part, considered that the judgment was “
legal and well-founded
”.
Alexei Navalny was arrested in January 2021 on his return from Berlin, where he had spent several months recovering from poisoning, for which he holds Russian President Vladimir Putin responsible.
Read alsoThe opponent Navalny still pugnacious despite the prison
The latter categorically denies and no investigation has been opened.
This arrest marked the starting point for the acceleration of a broad crackdown on all anti-Kremlin movements and independent media in Russia.
