Russia launches criminal case against ally of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny
- Lyubov Sobol is accused of violently entering a flat linked to an agent involved in a plot to poison the opposition leader
- The move is the latest in a clampdown on the Kremlin’s opponents before next year’s parliamentary election
Russia launched a criminal case on Friday against Lyubov Sobol, an ally of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, over accusations she had violently entered a flat that her supporters said was linked to a secret agent involved in plot to kill Navalny.
The move against Sobol is the latest in a clampdown on the Kremlin’s opponents before next year’s parliamentary election. Sobol aims to run for office, although outspoken critics of the Kremlin are often prevented from standing.
Sobol was detained for 48 hours after questioning, Navalny, one of the Kremlin’s fiercest opponents, wrote on Twitter.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, which handles serious crimes, said on its website on Friday it had launched a criminal case against Sobol. It did not mention any detention.
Sobol’s supporters and the authorities gave different accounts of events leading up to Friday’s actions.