Navalny defiant as Russian court rejects his bid for freedom
MOSCOW — A Russian court on Thursday rejected an appeal by opposition leader Alexei Navalny for his release from jail, while authorities detained several of his allies and warned social media companies about promoting more protests after tens of thousands rallied across the country last weekend demanding his freedom.
Appearing in court by video link from jail, Navalny denounced the criminal proceedings against him as part of a government campaign to intimidate the opposition.
“You won't succeed in scaring tens of millions of people who have been robbed by that government,” he said. “Yes, you have the power now to put me in handcuffs, but it's not going to last forever.”
The 44-year-old Navalny, the best-known critic of President Vladimir Putin's government, was arrested Jan. 17 upon returning from Germany, where he spent five months recovering from nerveagent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin. Russian authorities have rejected the accusations.
Navalny was arrested and jailed for 30 days after Russia's prison service alleged he had violated the probation terms of his suspended sentence from a 2014 money-laundering conviction that he has rejected as politically motivated. He also faces accusations in two separate criminal probes.
Before the Moscow Region Court rejected his appeal, defense lawyers argued that while recovering in Germany from the poisoning, Navalny could not register with authorities as required by the terms of his probation. His lawyers also said Navalny's due process rights were repeatedly violated during his arrest.
Navalny described his jailing following an earlier hearing held at a police station as a mockery of justice.
“It was demonstrative lawlessness intended to scare me and all others,” he told the Moscow court.
Navalny's supporters are organizing another round of rallies for Sunday. Police on Wednesday searched Navalny's apartment, a rented accommodation where his wife, Yulia, has been living and the residences of several of his associates and supporters.
Also detained were Navalny's brother, Oleg; his top ally, Lyubov Sobol; Oleg Stepanov, head of Navalny's Moscow office; Dr. Anastasia Vasilyeva from the Navalny-backed Alliance of Doctors; and Maria Alyokhina from the Pussy Riot punk collective. They were detained for 48 hours as part of a criminal probe into alleged violations of coronavirus regulations during Saturday's protests.
Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the searches and detentions were a legitimate part of police efforts to investigate the alleged violations during the events.
“Law enforcement agencies are doing their job,” Peskov said on a conference call with reporters. “There were numerous violations of Russian laws, and law enforcement agencies are at work.”
Demonstrations calling for Navalny's release took place in more than 100 Russian cities Saturday, in a strong show of rising anger toward the Kremlin. Nearly 4,000 people were reportedly detained at those protests and some were given fines and jail terms.
At Thursday's court hearing, Navalny thanked his supporters and said, “They are the last barrier preventing our country from sliding into the degradation.”
In a later post on Instagram, he urged the Russians to abandon their fear and take to the streets to pressure Putin and his entourage.
“Come out and don't be afraid of anything,” Navalny said. “No one wants to live in the country where lawlessness and corruption run amok.”