Russia: Alexei Navalny’s ally Vadim Ostanin jailed for 9 years over ‘extremism’; Here’s what happened.
Vadim Ostanin, an activist associated with Vladimir Putin’s critic Alexei Navalny's organization, has been sentenced to 9 years in prison by Russia for being part of an «extremist community.» He was arrested in December 2021 and faced trial in Barnaul after being transferred from Moscow. Alexei Navalny's team has claimed that Ostanin had been involved in «legal political work» at the Anti-Corruption Foundation's local headquarters in Barnaul.
Vadim Ostanin described in a letter, published by Navalny's team, that upon arriving in Barnaul, he was placed in a solitary cell in a basement without explanation, with a window covered in debris. He further stated that the cell was later flooded with ankle-deep water, and it housed rats, ants, and spiders.
Despite pressure from investigators to admit guilt, Ostanin reportedly refused, as per the letter. Russian prosecutors also found him guilty of being involved in a non-profit group associated with violence against citizens.
It is to note that just a month ago, Liliya Chanysheva, another campaigner for Alexei Navalny, received a seven-and-a-half-year sentence for «extremism.» Meanwhile, Russian state prosecutors requested a court to impose an additional 20-year sentence on Navalny, including charges of «extremism.» During the past month, the Kremlin critic has been undergoing a closed-door trial at the IK-6 penal colony in Melekhovo, east of Moscow. He is already serving 11 and a half years on fraud and other charges, which he claims are an attempt to silence him.
Earlier this month, imprisoned critic of Vladimir Putin, Alexei Navalny, revealed that he has been subjected to the same speech by the Russian president for more than 100 consecutive days. Prison officers played the 1
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