Alexei Navalny has been found guilty of fraud, a Russian court announced on Tuesday.
Why it matters: The prominent Russian opposition leader and Kremlin critic is already serving a prison sentence of about 2.5 years for violating parole, for which he was charged over his recovery in Germany after surviving a poisoning attempt by Russia's security forces in 2020.
- Russian prosecutors are seeking to move Navalny from a prison camp east of Moscow to a maximum security penal colony for 13 years, the court noted.
Driving the news: Tuesday's trial concerned embezzlement and contempt of court charges, according to the court's announcement.
- Navalny denied all charges and sometimes smiled during his sentencing as he "appeared in the makeshift court" outside Moscow, dressed in his black prison uniform, while journalists watched his via video link, AFP reported.
The big picture: Russian financial authorities added Navalny and several of his allies to the country’s registry of terrorists and extremists, freezing their bank accounts in January.
- A Russian court last June labeled Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, a group created to expose corruption within the Kremlin, "extremist" — meaning anyone associated with the group could face prison sentences of up to 10 years.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
