Russian Judge Excludes Observers from ‘Extremism’ Trial of Navalny’s Lawyers, Reports Mediazona

LONDON (Reuters) – A Russian judge has ordered the trial of three lawyers representing the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny to be closed to journalists and the public. This decision was made on Thursday, with the judge citing the potential for provocations from Navalny’s supporters abroad, as reported by an independent news outlet.

Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin, and Alexei Liptser were detained last October and face charges related to membership in an “extremist” organization, which could result in sentences of up to six years in prison. They have been held in pre-trial detention since then and were placed on Russia’s list of “terrorists and extremists” in November.

Navalny, who died under unexplained circumstances in a penal colony in February, had previously been convicted on charges of extremism, and his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) was banned.

During the trial, which began on Thursday at a district court near Moscow, the state prosecutor requested the judge, Yulia Shilova, to close the proceedings, referencing a letter from Russia’s Centre for Combating Extremism, commonly known as Centre E.

The letter allegedly claimed that Navalny’s associates based outside of Russia might be attempting to influence witnesses and other elements of the trial. All of Navalny’s key allies currently reside outside the country.

A spokesperson for Navalny did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Russian authorities have characterized Navalny and his supporters as extremists supported by Western powers attempting to destabilize the country. His allies, including his wife Yulia Navalnaya, who has continued her husband’s political efforts since his passing, assert that they are fighting for a democratic Russia free from President Vladimir Putin’s rule.

Defense attorneys for the lawyers contended against the judge’s ruling on Thursday, arguing that closing the trial infringes on fundamental principles of legal transparency. Andrei Grivtsov, Kobzev’s lawyer, stated, “Publicity is one of the inviolable judicial principles,” and added that there had been no security breaches during the preliminary hearings where the case materials were previously disclosed.

In Russia, serious crime trials, such as those involving treason, are frequently conducted behind closed doors, with acquittal rates approaching zero.

In a separate case in June, a judge barred journalists and observers from a trial involving prominent Russian theater figures, citing unspecified threats to participants. The director and playwright were subsequently sentenced to six years in prison for “justifying terrorism,” a ruling criticized by independent monitors as politically motivated.