Associate of Russian opposition leader Navalny is sentenced to 9 years in prison

An associate of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been sentenced to nine years in prison, the latest move in a relentless Kremlin crackdown on dissent

MOSCOW -- An associate of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was sentenced to nine years in prison on Friday, the latest move in a relentless Kremlin crackdown on dissent.

Ksenia Fadeyeva, a regional legislator who headed a local branch of Navalny's organization in the Siberian city of Tomsk, was convicted on charges of organizing an extremist group. Her lawyers said they would appeal the verdict, arguing that Fadeyeva had ended her involvement with Navalny's organization before the authorities labeled it extremist in 2021.

Navalny's spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, hailed Fadeyeva as “honest and brave,” saying on X that those who fabricated the criminal case against her will eventually face punishment.

Navalny, the most prominent foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism. Earlier this month, he went missing for several weeks until his lawyers announced Monday that he has been moved from a prison in central Russia to a remote Arctic prison colony known for its harsh conditions.

Navalny has been behind bars in Russia since January 2021, when he returned to Moscow after recuperating in Germany from nerve agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin. Before his arrest, he campaigned against official corruption and organized major anti-Kremlin protests.