On Thursday, Russia’s Federal Service for Financial Monitoring added three lawyers representing jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny on its list of “terrorists and extremists”. This categorization, according to Russian law, implies that the individuals listed will face frozen bank accounts and suspended services.
This development is a recent installment in a series of actions against the lawyers – Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin, and Alexei Lipster – who were arrested on October 13. Notably, they were working to defend Navalny against extremism charges. The three lawyers have been accused of leveraging their legal status to access the correctional institution where Navalny is currently held and allegedly facilitating the exchange of information within the so-called extremist community.
Alexei Navalny has been in custody since January 2021 and has faced multiple convictions. His most recent sentence in August resulted in a nineteen-year extension for extremism charges. Navalny attempted an appeal in September, but it was rejected by the Moscow City Court.
Denis Krivosheev, Amnesty International’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Deputy Director, has condemned the arrest of Navalny’s lawyers. According to him, the arrests were not only a violation of the lawyers’ human rights but served as a chilling message to legal professionals within Russia. This incident indicates a threat to other legal professionals who may face similar consequences for representing individuals who are viewed as threats by the Kremlin.