Russian investigators target jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in new ‘extremism’ investigation

Investigators accused Navalny and his allies of setting up a number of social media accounts ‘in order to promote criminal activity’

Investigators also said calls for ‘extremist and terrorist activities’ were common at regular street protests organised by Navalny and his allies

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Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Photo: AP

Published: 5:04am, 29 Sep 2021Updated: 5:36am, 29 Sep 2021

Russian investigators on Tuesday launched a new “extremism” investigation against jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and his top allies that could see the opposition leader spend up to 10 more years in jail.

Navalny’s groups were already banned as “extremist” earlier this year. The fresh investigation comes after President Vladimir Putin’s party this month shored up another five years in control of the lower house of parliament.

The Investigative Committee, which investigates major crimes in Russia, said in a statement that by 2014 Navalny had “created an extremist network and directed it” with the aim of “changing the foundations of the constitutional system in the Russian Federation”.

Russian opposition leader Ivan Zhdanov. Photo: AP

Navalny, 45, and his top aide Leonid Volkov and Ivan Zhdanov are suspected of having run an “extremist network”, while Lyubov Sobol and a number of his other allies are accused of taking part.

Investigators accused them of setting up a number of social media accounts and the website of Navalny’s banned Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) “in order to promote criminal activity”.