Mr. Navalny and Western rights groups have denounced the charges against him as an attempt to silence dissent against President Vladimir V. Putin.
“The sentence will be a long one,” Mr. Navalny said in a statement released by his organization on the Telegram app on Thursday before the expected verdict.
The latest charges against Mr. Navalny were laid out in Moscow’s district court in late July, and the trial has been conducted in closed-door hearings at the penal colony where he is being held.
Daniel Kholodny, who formerly helped run Mr. Navalny’s YouTube channel, has also been charged in the case with funding and promoting extremism.
Prosecutors have asked the court to sentence Mr. Kholodny to 10 years in prison; his verdict is also expected on Friday.
Persons:
Navalny, Vladimir V, Putin, Mr, Daniel Kholodny, Kholodny
Organizations:
YouTube, Prosecutors, Kremlin
Locations:
Moscow’s