In Moscow, Russia, three lawyers who represented the late opposition leader Alexey Navalny have been sentenced by a Russian court. The lawyers, Igor Sergunin, Alexei Liptser, and Vadim Kobzev, were found guilty of being part of an extremist group. They received sentences of three-and-a-half, five, and five-and-a-half years, respectively, after a closed-door trial in Petushki.
Prosecutors accused the lawyers of using their status to pass letters from Navalny to his associates, allegedly allowing him to continue leading an extremist organization. Navalny, who died last year in an Arctic prison while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges, had denied these charges. His sudden death was attributed to feeling unwell after a walk, according to Russian prison services, but many Western nations and Navalny's allies blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have criticized the sentencing, viewing it as a crackdown on opposition to Putin's rule and the war in Ukraine. Amnesty International called the sentencing a "shameful attempt to silence those who dared to defend Navalny" and demanded the lawyers' release. The US also condemned the sentencing, describing it as persecution of defense lawyers by the Kremlin.
Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, referred to the lawyers as "political prisoners" and called for their immediate release. The lawyers were initially arrested in 2023 on charges related to Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, which the Kremlin labeled as an extremist organization. This case is part of a broader pattern of prosecution against those associated with Navalny, including journalists accused of creating content for his YouTube channel.
A Russian court is a place where legal cases are heard and decided in Russia, a large country in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia.
Lawyers are people who help others understand the law and represent them in legal matters, like in court.
An opposition leader is someone who leads a group that disagrees with the current government and wants to change how things are done.
Alexey Navalny was a well-known person in Russia who spoke out against the government and wanted to make changes. He was an opposition leader.
An extremist group is a group of people who have very strong beliefs and may use extreme actions to try to achieve their goals.
Human rights groups are organizations that work to protect people's basic rights and freedoms, like the right to speak freely and be treated fairly.
The US stands for the United States, a country in North America that often speaks out about human rights issues around the world.
Political prisoners are people who are put in jail because of their political beliefs or actions, not because they did something wrong like stealing or hurting someone.
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