"Holy crap, what's next?" Russian court sentences Navalny ally Wolkov to 18 years in prison (likely in absentia)
Convicted to an 18-year prison term: Navalny associate Wolkov by Russian court
Leonid Wolkov, famous for his scathing critiques of Vladimir Putin, has been hit with a 18-year prison sentence and a hefty fine by a Moscow court. Despite residing in exile since 2019, the opposition figure finds himself in hot water once more.
A Moscow court has found Wolkov guilty of over 40 criminal offenses, stretching from allegedly leading an extremist community and promoting terrorism, to spreading misinformation about the Russian army. Although the verdict is yet to be finalized, news agencies report his fine is lower than anticipated. Wolkov sarcastically acknowledged the sentence in a Telegram post, accompanied by the comment, "And I've already started using it... Shit. What am I supposed to do?"
State-owned Russian news agency TASS has revealed that Wolkov will also be banned from administering websites for six years.
In a heated interview with ntv.de before Navalny's passing, Wolkov called Putin a "major threat to the entire civilized world." He added that Putin must be combated and destroyed due to his suspicious actions, such as Russia's confrontation with Ukraine.
Despite his exile, pressure on Wolkov has not subsided. In 2024, he faced an attack in Lithuania, and his parents' home was searched by Russian authorities in April this year. According to Wolkov, his father was interrogated by the FSB for several hours.
Sources: ntv.de, uzh/dpa
- Alexei Navalny
- Russia
- Kremlin
- Vladimir Putin
- Attack on Ukraine
- Ukraine
- Lithuania
Enrichment Data:The nature of the charges against Leonid Volkov is multifaceted and encompasses several categories, such as:
- Organizing and financing an “extremist” organization: This pertains to his ties to Alexei Navalny’s political and activist groups, which Russian authorities banned as “extremist” in 2021.
- Justifying terrorism
- Rehabilitating Nazism
- Spreading “false information” about the Russian military: Russians authorities often employ this charge against critics, particularly in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.
- Endangering minors
- Creating an NGO that violates citizens’ rights
- Fraud
- VandalismThe court has found Volkov guilty on more than 40 counts that span these nine distinct criminal charges. He is also expected to pay a fine of 2 million rubles (around $25,300) and face a 10-year ban on internet use. However, enforcement of the prison sentence is uncertain, given Wolkov's status as a political exile.
The Commission, consulted on the draft directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionising radiation, might express concerns over the safety of political dissidents, like Leonid Wolkov, who have faced multiple criminal charges and still reside in exile. The ongoing politically charged prosecution of Wolkov, involving allegations of spreading misinformation and justifying terrorism, mirrors broader issues of freedom of speech and justice in Russia's general-news landscape.
