Associates of the imprisoned Russian opposition leader said Monday that he has been located at a prison colony above the Arctic Circle nearly three weeks after contact with him was lost.
Lawyers of jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny say they have not been able to confirm his whereabouts for several days, raising concern among his allies for his health and safety.
The Russian activist, a fierce opponent of President Vladimir Putin, was sentenced Friday on extremism charges, which he denies. He is already serving prison sentences on other charges he denies.
Lilia Chanysheva was sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison in the latest in a series of lengthy prison terms handed down to Kremlin political opponents. Women are increasingly singled out for repression.
The 46-year-old Navalny fell ill last Friday when he was moved to a conventional cell and had lost about 18 pounds in 15 days. A spokeswoman says it's believed he's being given low doses of poison.
NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to film director Daniel Roher about his award winning documentary detailing the events following assassination attempt of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Daniel Roher's film about Russian dissident Alexei Navalny offers intimate, sometimes amazing access to the bravery — and human cost — of opposing a despot.
Oksana Baulina reported on government corruption for The Insider, based in Latvia. She formerly worked for the non-profit of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and was "amazingly brave," a colleague said.
Navalny, who is already serving a 2.5-year sentence for parole violations, was sentenced to an additional nine years in a high-security prison. He has vowed to keep fighting.
Navalny and eight of his allies — including top aides Lyubov Sobol and Georgy Alburov — were on Tuesday added to the registry by Russia's Federal Financial Monitoring Service.
The Kremlin critic looked gaunt after a weeks-long prison hunger strike. He appeared as the head of his political network said it was being forced to shut down amid government pressure.
The jailed opposition leader's political network has been ordered to suspend its activities pending a court ruling on whether to label it and affiliated organizations "extremist."
