A new trial of Aleksei A. Navalny, Russia’s jailed opposition leader, began on Monday, with several extremism charges potentially adding decades to the prison sentences that he is already serving.
Although the charges were filed in a Moscow district court, the trial was held about 150 miles east of the capital in the penal colony where Mr. Navalny has been held since 2021.
Journalists monitoring proceedings from another room were able to watch the start of the hearing via video feed, with Mr. Navalny barely visible or audible, according to a reporter for the Mediazona news outlet.
The new charges from Basmanny District Court included inciting and financing extremism, as well as “rehabilitating Nazism.” Mr. Navalny said earlier that he was barely given time to study the materials filed in the case, included in some 200 volumes or nearly 4,000 pages.
If Mr. Navalny is convicted — and acquittals are extremely rare in Russian courts, especially against opposition figures — the case could add another 30 years to his jail term.
Persons:
Aleksei A, Russia’s, Navalny, ” Mr, —
Organizations:
Journalists
Locations:
Moscow, Basmanny