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Russian President Vladimir Putin’s public enemy number one was already sentenced to two and a half years in jail. Now he is facing new charges of slander in Russian courts.
Alexei Navalny was back in court today where the government alleges that he slandered a World War II veteran in a political ad when he opposed extension of President Putin’s office term limits. He called the veterans traitors and corrupt.
At the time, that was not a punishable thing to do. The law has since been changed and Navalny’s lawyer says that he cannot be sentenced because of this timeline.
But of course, what Navalny’s lawyers say fall on deaf ears to the Russian court. It is fairly transparent that he is being punished and silenced for opposing Putin’s regime. Global leaders have all called for his release and this is putting further tentions between Russia and the EU and the U.S. If we weren’t already in a new Cold War, we sure are now.
