Alexei Navalny vows to fight on, as he faces another decade in jail with new trial

Investigators accuse the Kremlin critic of stealing for personal use more than US$4.7 million in donations that were given to his political organisations

The closed-door hearing on fresh fraud charges is being held inside the maximum-security prison in Pokrov, some 100km (60 miles) east of Moscow

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Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny (centre) is seen on a monitor screen during an offsite court session in the penal colony N2 (IK-2) in Pokrov, Russia on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 4:43am, 16 Feb 2022Updated: 5:10am, 16 Feb 2022

Imprisoned Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said Tuesday he would keep challenging Russia’s leadership during the opening of a new fraud trial that could extend his jail term by more than a decade.

Navalny appeared at the beginning of the hearing via video link wearing a prison uniform and flanked by guards at the makeshift court inside his penal colony, smiling and embracing his wife.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the new case was “incompatible” with the rule of law, speaking during a press conference with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

The 45-year-old opposition leader has already been behind bars for a year, after surviving a poison attack he blames on the Kremlin.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his wife Yulia Navalnaya are seen embracing on a monitor screen during an off-site court session an the penal colony N2 (IK-2) in Pokrov, Russia on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

He is serving out a 2½-year sentence on old embezzlement charges, but the fresh charges could see his time behind bars significantly extended.

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