Jailed Putin critic could face decades in prison as new trial begins

Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is facing a new trial that could keep him behind bars for decades. A Russian court opened a new trial on Monday. 

The trial is taking place at a maximum security prison in Melekhovo, 250 kilometres (150 miles) east of Moscow, where Navalny the Kremlin's arch-foe is serving a nine-year sentence for fraud and contempt of court. 

Navalny appeared before a Russian court-- at the IK-6 penal colony in Melekhovo, about 235 km (145 miles) east of Moscow. His supporters are accusing the authorities of trying to break him in prison to silence his criticism of President Vladimir Putin. 

The new charges come under Russia's Criminal Code, which was amended in 2022. If convicted, under the new charges, Navalny could face up to 30 years in prison. "We assume that the trial will be over relatively quickly, and Alexei will really be sentenced to an unimaginable prison term of around 30 years," Navalny's spokesperson Kira Yarmysh told DW. 

Navalny is being charged under six different articles of the Russian criminal code, including inciting and financing extremist activity and creating an extremist organisation. Navalny, who is in solitary confinement, is allowed just a mug and a book. He was reportedly given the material to read and understand what he was being accused of. 

He was arrested in 2021 when he returned to Russia from Germany. Navalny was treated for being poisoned by a Soviet-era nerve agent in Germany, for which he blamed Kremlin. Russian authorities denied any involvement.  

-- With PTI inputs