Alexey Navalny's Appeal Rejected, Faces 19-Year Jail Term

A Moscow court has rejected an appeal by Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny against his 19-year prison sentence on extremism charges. Navalny, who is already serving a separate sentence, appeared at the hearing via video link from a penal colony. Supporters claim his arrest and incarceration are politically motivated to silence his criticism of President Vladimir Putin. The hearing was moved behind closed doors due to unspecified potential danger, according to a letter from Russia's Ministry of Internal Affairs. Navalny's team argues that the closed-door proceedings restrict their rights. Navalny has been imprisoned since returning to Russia in January 2021, following his poisoning with the nerve agent Novichok.