Verdict's written text unveiled on January 12th alone
Straight Talk from Alexei Navalny: The Bizarre Verdict Saga
Alexei Navalny, the Russian politician, shared some intriguing insights about a recent court decision via his Facebook. Last week, a suspended sentence was slapped on Alexei himself in the "Iv Roche" case, while his brother Oleg was met with a real 3.5-year prison term.
"Let me shed some light on the verdict," Alexei wrote.
You might recall that the verdict announcement, initially set for January 15, was mysteriously moved to December 30, claiming it was already ready. But Judge Korobchenko astonishingly only promised to read the "introductory and resolutive parts" during the hearing. That's unheard of and downright forbidden in a criminal case, pal!
The punchline? After the hearing, we couldn't lay our hands on the verdict text. As you'd expect, it doesn't exist. According to Korobchenko, they won't put it together before December 12.
Here's the kicker: we were denied even the resolutive part. Lawyers are scratching their heads over this. Without a verdict, it's improbable to get someone incarcerated, let alone slap on the handcuffs!
But this isn't your average criminal law case. Judge Korobchenko likely received a small piece of paper with the sentences on it and was told, "Go and read it". In a nutshell, this bizarre spectacle epitomizes how Russia's judicial system functions as a political tool.
In case you're curious, these legal squabbles between the Navalny brothers reflect a pattern of politically motivated prosecutions in Russia, characterized by strange court processes and repeated imprisonment. Alexei and Oleg have faced fabricated charges, retroactively reinterpreted sentences, and the orchestrated targeting of their associates. This chilling effect deters dissent by showing that even relatives and supporters risk incarceration. And, let's face it, Russia's legal system is becoming a political weapon, with charges like "extremism" applied broadly to criminalize opposition activities. Cheers to that!
Alexei Navalny, the Russian politician, expressed bewilderment about the unusual court proceedings in the "Iv Roche" case on his Facebook page. On December 30, Judge Korobchenko annoyingly only promised to read the "introductory and resolutive parts" of the verdict, despite claiming it was already ready. However, the complete verdict text remains unavailable, with the promise of its release on December 12. Remarkably, even the resolutive part was withheld, making it impossible to officially imprison Oleg, Alexei's brother, who received a 3.5-year prison term. Lawyers are left puzzled by this unusual turn of events, as a verdict is essential for any incarceration. This intriguing case is yet another example of the politically motivated prosecutions in Russia, demonstrating the erratic court processes and repeated imprisonment of prominent figures like the Navalny brothers. The legal system in Russia increasingly serves as a political tool, with charges like "extremism" being applicably broad to suppress opposition activities.
