Russia has issued an arrest warrant for Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The Moscow court accused Navalnaya of participating in an “extremist organization” and approved a preventive measure of detention for two months. The charges were brought in absentia, meaning Navalnaya would face immediate arrest if she returned to Russia.
Navalnaya, an economist, has been a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom she holds responsible for her husband’s death. She took to social media to denounce the court’s decision, calling Putin a murderer and a war criminal who belongs in prison. Leonid Volkov, Navalny’s former chief of staff, also commented on social media, stating that the arrest warrant was a recognition of Navalnaya’s determination to continue her late husband’s fight.
Alexei Navalny was a prominent critic of Putin and ran against him in the 2017 presidential election. In 2020, he was poisoned with the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok while flying from Moscow to Siberia. He was treated in Germany and later accused Putin of being behind the assassination attempt. Navalny returned to Russia in January 2021, where he was immediately arrested and sentenced to three and a half years in prison for violating the terms of a previous suspended sentence. His sentence was later extended by 19 years. Navalny died in an Arctic penal colony in February 2024, sparking global outrage and new sanctions against Russia.
Since her husband’s death, Navalnaya has vowed to continue his work and has lobbied against Putin’s government from abroad. She has met with several world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, and was recently named the chairperson of the Human Rights Foundation. Navalnaya has called on her supporters to focus on the broader campaign against Putin, rather than the court order against her.
Navalnaya’s arrest warrant is part of a broader crackdown on dissent in Russia. The label “extremist” is often applied to dissident or independent civic groups by Russian courts, which typically carry out the wishes of the Kremlin in political cases. Navalny’s organizations, which mainly targeted corruption, have been outlawed in Russia.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the arrest warrant against Navalnaya, calling it “against the desire for freedom and democracy.” He praised Navalnaya for carrying on her husband’s legacy and standing with many Russians in their fight for a free and democratic Russia.
Navalnaya has also been involved in organizing protests against Putin. During Russia’s recent presidential elections, she called for mass protests outside polling stations, a campaign that came to be known as “noon against Putin.” Despite the relentless pressure on the opposition, Navalnaya remains determined to continue her husband’s work.
The arrest warrant against Navalnaya comes amid growing concerns for other opposition figures in Russia. The family of Vladimir Kara-Murza, another top critic of Putin, recently reported that he had disappeared in a Russian prison. Kara-Murza, who suffers from complications of poisoning, was last seen by his lawyers on July 2 and has since been held incommunicado. Supporters fear for his life, especially in the wake of Navalny’s death in detention.
Kara-Murza is serving a 25-year prison sentence for treason and other charges that he claims were motivated by his criticism of Putin. Russian journalists have warned that Kara-Murza could die if he remains in a Russian prison.
Navalnaya’s arrest warrant is the latest in a series of actions by the Russian government to silence dissent and suppress opposition. Despite these challenges, Navalnaya remains committed to her husband’s cause and continues to fight for a free and democratic Russia.
Source: CBS, AFP, Reuters, BBC News
