Russian authorities have escalated their crackdown on the opposition by adding the widow of deceased Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to a list of 'terrorists and extremists.' Yulia Navalnaya, who resides abroad, was recently ordered to be arrested by a Moscow court on charges of alleged involvement in an extremist group. This ruling implies that Navalnaya would face arrest upon her return to Russia.
Furthermore, Russia's Federal Service for Financial Monitoring has designated Navalnaya as a 'terrorist and extremist,' leading to potential restrictions on her bank transactions. This move is part of a broader pattern of targeting opposition members in the country.
Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, passed away in February while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges that he had denounced as politically motivated. Navalny had returned to Moscow in 2021 from Germany, where he was recovering from a nerve agent poisoning that he attributed to the Kremlin.
Navalnaya, who holds Putin responsible for her husband's death, has vowed to carry on his work. Russian officials have consistently denied any involvement in Navalny's poisoning and subsequent demise.
Navalnaya's spokesperson responded to the authorities' actions by suggesting that 'if they are so fussy it means that Yulia does everything right.' The specific charges against Navalnaya have not been disclosed, but they seem to be linked to the designation of Navalny's Foundation for Fighting Corruption and its regional offices as extremist.
A court ruling in 2021 outlawed Navalny's foundation and its regional branches, prompting many of his associates to leave Russia. Those who remained have faced legal repercussions, with some lawyers and journalists associated with Navalny being detained on similar charges.
The crackdown on opposition figures, independent journalists, and government critics in Russia has intensified since the country's military intervention in Ukraine in February 2022. Numerous individuals have been charged with crimes related to protests against the war in Ukraine, leading to fines, brief detentions, and other punitive measures.
