'Putin Is Afraid Of Truth': Kremlin Critic Alexei Navalny After Being Handed 9-Year Prison Term

Navalny was sentenced for two and a half years for violating parole over old fraud charges while recovering from a poison attack with Novichok nerve agent for which he blames the Kremlin. 

Alexei Navalny | Courtesy: Instagram/navalny

New Delhi: Kremlin’s most vocal domestic critic, Alexei Navalny hit out at Vladimir Putin after the already jailed Navalny was sentenced another nine years of prison by a Russian Court on Tuesday. 

Putin is “afraid of the truth,” said Navalny in an Instagram post. “Well, of course, words have power. Putin is afraid of the truth, I have always said that. The fight against censorship, bringing the truth to the people of Russia remained our priority,” he wrote. 

“The Kremlin smashes the media, and in response we create new ones,” he added.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Алексей Навальный (@navalny)

Navalny, sentenced for committing fraud — theft of property by an organised group, will serve his new sentence in a “strict regime” penal colony. The judge also found Navalny guilty of a less severe charge of contempt of court. He was also fined with 1.2 million rubles ($11,500), reported AFP.

The Russian opposition leader, last year, was sentenced for two and a half years for violating parole over old fraud charges while recovering from a poison attack with Novichok nerve agent for which he blames the Kremlin. 

Navalny was accused by investigators of stealing, for personal use, several million dollars’ worth of donations made to his political organisation. The charges were denied by Navalny saying that he was being punished for challenging Putin.

Navalny was Russia’s main opposition leader, before he was jailed, who along with his team would frequently publish investigations into the wealth of Russia’s elite which garnered millions of views on YouTube. 

He being poisoned, in 2020, with Novichok, a military grade nerve agent and his arrest after returning from rehabilitation in Germany last year had sparke a furore with condemnation and sanctions from Western countries.

Navalny's arrest comes as Russia's invasion in Ukraine entered 27th day today.