Advertisement

Updated January 29th, 2021 at 11:08 IST

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to remain in detention, Russian court rules

A Russian court rejected an appeal to overturn the 30-day detention of Alexei Navalny ahead of a hearing next month over whether he should face jail time.

Reported by: Bhavya Sukheja
Kremlin
| Image:self
Advertisement

A Russian court on January 28 rejected an appeal to overturn the 30-day detention of opposition leader Alexei Navalny ahead of a hearing next month over whether he should face jail time for a years-old fraud case. Navalny had returned to Moscow this month following a near-fatal poisoning. He continues to be held at Matrosskaya Tishina detention centre, in the northeast of the capital and he appeared by video link at the country in the city of Khimki. 

According to CNN, the Kremlin critic’s next court date is scheduled for February 2, when a court will decide whether his three-and-a-half-year suspended sentence on fraud charges should be converted into a jail term due to what Russian authorities say is the violation of the terms of his suspended sentence. On Thursday, the judge ruled that Navalny’s detention was lawful and that the opposition leader would remain in detention. Following the judge’s ruling, Navalny’s reaction suggested that he was expecting it as he told the court, “Everything was clear to me even before the hearing”. 

READ: Russia Police Detain Alexei Navalny's Allies Ahead Of A Planned Demonstration

Navalny said that everything is “so amazing here” that he doesn’t even know where to start. The opposition leader had earlier complained about violations of legal procedures and a lack of opportunity to communicate with his lawyers since his detention on January 17. He said everything is, as usual, the officials take a court decision, look for violations of the law and speak them when appealing. He added, “here everything is one big violation of the law”. 

Further, Navalny went on to urge his protesters to keep coming out. While calling the demonstrator “last barrier” and “real patriots, he said that they are the who prevents those in power from stealing everything. Navalny added, “You will not be able to intimidate us - we are the majority”. 

READ: Russia To Open Probe Against Navalny's Strategist

Navalny’s allies detained 

Navalny was arrested on January 17 on returning to Moscow from Germany, where he had spent nearly five months recovering from nerve-agent poisoning that he has blamed on the Kremlin but Russian authorities deny. The Russian law enforcement on Wednesday conducted searches at Navalny’s apartment, his team headquarters and his allies. His aides, including Lyubov Sobol, Dr Anastasia Vasilyeva from the Alliance of Doctors union and Maria Alyokhina have been detained for 48 hours along with Russian opposition leader’s brother Oleg. 

The law enforcement in the nation has already detained over 3,000 protesters demanding the immediate release of Navalny. Earlier this week, Navalny's wife Yulia was also detained in Moscow. His team, on the other hand, has called for new protests later this month to demand the release of the Kremlin critic. Leonid Volkov, one of the closest allies of the jailed leader, called on people to gather in all Russian cities on January 31 to demand "freedom for Navalny". Volkov urged people to come out in support of Navalny on January 31 at 12 pm, adding further details will be announced soon. 

READ: Kremlin Compares Navalny Protesters With Terrorists

READ: Putin Denies Navalny Team's Allegation Of Owning $1.35 Bn Black Sea Property

Advertisement

Published January 29th, 2021 at 11:11 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Congress Press Conference
3 minutes ago
Vishwak Sen
13 minutes ago
 Development is BJP's Main Agenda Says Kangana Ranaut As She Launches Campaign In Mandi
17 minutes ago
Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir
20 minutes ago
Nagaland: ENPO Decides Not To Take Part In LS Poll Process Till Its Demands Are Met
23 minutes ago
INDI Parties Stage Protest in Mumbai, Calls Kejriwal's Arrest 'Illegal' , 'Unjustified'
25 minutes ago
Lok Sabha Elections 2024
27 minutes ago
Exam Results
28 minutes ago
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo