A court in Vladimir Oblast sentenced Vadim Kobzev, Alexey Liptser, and Igor Sergunin to 5.5 years, 5 years, and 3.5 years in penal colonies, respectively, for participating in the activities of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK)*, designated as an extremist organization. This was reported by Mediazona on January 17.
The Petushinsky District Court handed real prison terms to three of Alexey Navalny’s lawyers under Part 2 of Article 282.1 of the Russian Criminal Code for their alleged involvement in the activities of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK). Vadim Kobzev was sentenced to 5.5 years, Alexey Liptser to 5 years, and Igor Sergunin to 3.5 years. The trial was conducted behind closed doors after the Centre for Combating Extremism, commonly referred to as Centre E, warned of potential "provocations" by FBK*.
The prosecution alleged that Navalny’s lawyers regularly passed his letters from the penal colony to his allies, enabling him to "continue acting as a leader and organizer of an extremist community." In May, lawyer Igor Sergunin pleaded guilty and provided testimony in the case.
Around 70 people, including journalists and lawyers, gathered outside the courthouse during the sentencing. An hour before the court session, police detained three journalists who had arrived from Moscow at the train station in Vladimir Oblast. According to Mediazona, they were taken to a police station, where law enforcers told one of the journalists he had been detained as "wanted for robbery."
In total, four journalists, whose affiliations remained undisclosed, and one observer were detained by police that day, Mediazona reported.
