#Navalny was placed in "special regime" incarceration for another 19 years, in addition to the 11 years he is serving right now. As some people pointed out, that "special regime" is the highest punishment available in Russian criminal code in absence of the capital punishment, for which Russia declared a moratorium in 1990's.
Just to be clear, this means 10 years with no right to communicate or meet with relatives, single or double cell but with no right to talk to other prisoners, 24/7 light in cell and other rather extreme repressions. That's what is written in the penal code, but Russian prison authorities can add their extras on top of that.
I may like or not like Navalny, but that demonstration of total control over someone's life in demonstrative ignorance of the law is a new quality even for #Russia. That doesn't mean Navalny will spend time in prison until 2050 — he may be killed at any moment, or may be freed in an amnesty, or whatever. One of the top Russian opposition politicians was demonstratively placed in a freezer with the sole intent of demonstrating that Putin can literally control anyone's life in its entirety however he likes.
P.S. as opposed to international media I intentionally avoid verbs like "sentenced", as the decision had nothing to do with courts, laws and sentencing in the usual sense. Even his first "court" was a ridiculous show of arrogance where "judge" e.g. charged Navalny for not reporting to probation officer while he was unconscious in hospital. What happened on the second court case we don't know, as it was classified.
Just to be clear, this means 10 years with no right to communicate or meet with relatives, single or double cell but with no right to talk to other prisoners, 24/7 light in cell and other rather extreme repressions. That's what is written in the penal code, but Russian prison authorities can add their extras on top of that.
I may like or not like Navalny, but that demonstration of total control over someone's life in demonstrative ignorance of the law is a new quality even for #Russia. That doesn't mean Navalny will spend time in prison until 2050 — he may be killed at any moment, or may be freed in an amnesty, or whatever. One of the top Russian opposition politicians was demonstratively placed in a freezer with the sole intent of demonstrating that Putin can literally control anyone's life in its entirety however he likes.
P.S. as opposed to international media I intentionally avoid verbs like "sentenced", as the decision had nothing to do with courts, laws and sentencing in the usual sense. Even his first "court" was a ridiculous show of arrogance where "judge" e.g. charged Navalny for not reporting to probation officer while he was unconscious in hospital. What happened on the second court case we don't know, as it was classified.
@kravietz
> I intentionally avoid verbs like "sentenced", as the decision had nothing to do with courts
This is what always irks me "we are going to appeal", "if this legislation is passed…" — what lawyers, what legislations. Mercenaries were always illegal and yet, one prominent PMC never leaves the headlines. There is no law in this godforsaken country 😩
