DISINFO: Navalny engaged in extremist activities
SUMMARY
A Russian Investigative Committee has initiated an investigation process against Alexei Navalny and his main colleagues for their engagement in extremist activities to destabilise the country, to incite people to protest and to create the conditions for a possible violent change of power in Russia.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Russian opposition activist and politician Alexei Navalny.
Russian authorities have opened a criminal case against imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his closest allies, accusing them of forming an extremist group and being involved in one. The investigation is the latest step in a multi-pronged crackdown on the Kremlin’s most ardent foe and his team. Russia’s Investigative Committee said in a statement that it was investigating Navalny and his top allies, Leonid Volkov and Ivan Zhdanov, for creating and leading an extremist group — a criminal offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Currently Alexei Navalny is imprisoned on politically-motivated court decisions. The EU has repeatedly called for his immediate and unconditional release.
Alexei Navalny is a founder and leader of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), which has investigated embezzlement from the state budget, uncovered the lives of Russian politicians and businessmen close to the government and different corruption practices. FBK's goal is to eliminate corruption. Their funding comes from donations and therefore the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation recognised FBK as a "foreign agent" due to the Russian "foreign agent" law since they receive donations from outside Russia. However, FBK does not agree with this claim and is trying to appeal it in court. There is no proof that Navalny and his group have been engaged in any extremist activities.
Russian so-called "extremism" law, while stipulating what qualifies as extremism, does not concisely define what it is in the first place. Instead, it merely lists a series of offences that would fall under the law. Amongst these are, for example, distribution of extremist materials, preparation of extremist acts, and incitement of hatred against religious or ethnic groups. The list also includes criticism of government officials and politicians, and, more recently, public questioning of Russia's territorial integrity.
See further disinformation claims that Alexei Navalny is a depleted political project; that the neo-liberal forces behind Navalny will intensify their attempts to destroy Russia; that Navalny is used as an instrument by Western special services and that the West needs Alexei Navalny to destabilise the situation in Russia.