Poisoned Putin critic Navalny jailed on his return to Moscow
ALEXEI NAVALNY has called on his supporters to “take to the streets” after he was jailed for at least 30 days yesterday in an extraordinary trial that took place in a police station rather thanacourt.
The Russian opposition leader, who was arrested at Moscow airport on Sunday evening, was imprisoned until February 15 after authorities frantically diverted planes and closed streets to ensure his immediate detention.
Already brought forward by several weeks, the trial began one minute after Mr Navalny’s legal team had received official notice.
Fear
Kira Yarmysh, Mr Navalny’s spokesman, confirmed yesterday that he would serve his sentence in the Moscow jail where tax lawyer Sergei Magintsky died a decade ago after being denied medical help.
Supporters fear that the 44-year-old, who only recently recovered from poisoning with the Novichok nerve agent, could spend far longer than a month in Matrosskaya Tishina prison.
It was announced yesterday that a separate court is weighing up whether to enforce his three-and-half-year suspended sentence on fraud offences.
Foreign leaders condemned the arrest while several hundred of Mr Navalny’s supporters protested outside the police station in –20C temperatures, chanting “freedom” and “Putin step down”.
Three of Russia’s Baltic neighbours – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – called on the EU to toughen sanctions against Russia imposed in the wake of Mr Navalny’s poisoning if he is not released soon.
Mr Navalny called on his supporters to rally against “that pack of thieves who have been robbing Russia for the past 20 years” in a video message recorded during a recess in the rushed-through trial.
“Don’t be afraid. Take to the street. Take to the streets not for my sake, but for your own sake and your future,” he said.
Mr Navalny’s allies announced plans shortly afterwards for nationwide protests on Saturday. (© Telegraph Media Group Ltd 2021)