Prosecutors seek jail time for Russian journalists tied to ‘extremism’ case

• Four journalists are facing nearly six years in prison in Russia. They’re accused of “participating in an extremist community” for their work with Alexei Navalny’s anti-corruption group and the Navalny LIVE YouTube channel.
• The trial, held behind closed doors, reflects the Kremlin’s intensifying crackdown on opposition, which has escalated since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
• Navalny, a prominent opposition leader, died in February 2024 while serving a 19-year prison sentence.

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Four journalists could face years in a Russian prison after being accused of working for an anti-corruption group founded by late opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Antonina Favorskaya, Konstantin Gabov, Sergei Karelin and Artyom Kriger are charged with “participating in an extremist community” and prosecutors are looking to sentence each of them to nearly 6 years behind bars.

They’re accused of collecting material and making videos for Navalny’s anti-corruption foundation, FBK, and the Navalny LIVE YouTube channel.

When did the trial begin?

The trial has been going on behind closed doors since October 2024, and is another example of the Kremlin’s crackdown on opposition that has reached new levels after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. 

Who was Alexei Navalny?

Alexei Navalny was a prominent Russian opposition leader who was known for his investigations into corruption among Russia’s top political figures, especially those close to President Vladimir Putin.

Navalny died in February 2024 in prison while serving a 19-year sentence on several charges, including running an extremist group.

In 2021, Russian authorities labeled Navalny’s activist and political groups, including FBK, as “extremist,” putting employees, volunteers and supporters at risk of criminal prosecution.