Putin critic Navalny found guilty of fraud by Russian court

Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny on Tuesday was found guilty of fraud by a Russian court. 

In a case that Navalny says is politically motivated, the Russian government could potentially give the prominent Kremlin critic another 13 years in prison on top of the 30-month sentence he received in 2021, Reuters reported.

Prosecutors have recommended Navalny go to a maximum-security penal colony.

He was found guilty on charges of fraud and contempt of court. The government accused him of embezzling funds for himself and his organization.

The court will decide Navalny’s sentence later on Tuesday. He is already serving the previous sentence for other charges that he calls politically motivated, according to Reuters. 

Navalny was arrested and sentenced to prison in Russia in 2021 for violating his parole conditions. He violated those conditions after he left the country due to a poison attack Navalny says was carried out by the Kremlin. 

Russia denied any involvement in the attack that forced Navalny to go to Germany to receive treatment. The move was in violation of his parole, according to the Russian government. 

Navalny has continued to speak out against Russian President Vladimir Putin from prison, condemning the recent invasion of Ukraine. 

“Let’s at least not become a nation of frightened silent people. Of cowards who pretend not to notice the aggressive war against Ukraine unleashed by our obviously insane tsar,” Navalny said.