A court in Moscow has issued an arrest order in absentia for Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of the late Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny. The Basmanny District Court in Moscow accused Navalnaya, who currently resides outside Russia, of participating in an extremist organization. She has been added to an international wanted list as well.
The court also granted a request by the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation to detain Navalnaya, with the detention period to be calculated from the moment of possible extradition to Russian territory or from her detention on Russian soil. Navalnaya does not currently live in Russia.
Alexey Navalny, a prominent opposition leader in Russia, passed away on February 16 while serving a 19-year sentence in a Siberian penal colony. He had been convicted of creating an extremist community, financing extremist activists, and other crimes. Navalny had been a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and had faced multiple legal challenges that he claimed were politically motivated.
Navalny's death sparked grief and anger both within Russia and internationally. His wife, Yulia Navalnaya, accused Putin of being responsible for her husband's death and vowed to continue his legacy. She alleged that Russian authorities were concealing the true cause of Navalny's death and reiterated claims of Putin's involvement.
The Kremlin has denied any involvement in Navalny's death. Navalnaya called for Putin to face justice in Russia for his alleged role in her husband's passing. She stated, 'Vladimir Putin is a murderer and a war criminal' in a social media post following the court's decision.
