Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Alexei Navalny
A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Alexei Navalny.
Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny was a prominent Russian opposition leader and anti-corruption activist. He founded the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) in 2011 to investigate and expose corruption within the Russian government. Navalny gained international recognition for his activism, including being designated a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International and receiving the Sakharov Prize. He was considered a political prisoner, facing numerous arrests and convictions widely viewed as politically motivated. He was a vocal critic of Vladimir Putin and the Russian government, and his work significantly impacted Russian politics.
2006: Navalny Participates in "Russian March"
In 2006, Alexei Navalny participated in the "Russian march", an event uniting various Russian nationalist groups.
2006: Navalny and the Russian March
In late 2006, Navalny appealed to the Moscow City Hall requesting permission to conduct the nationalist 2006 Russian march, while also condemning ethnic hatred and xenophobia.
December 2007: Expelled from Yabloko Party
In December 2007, Alexei Navalny was expelled from the Yabloko party due to his nationalist views and participation in the Russian March, following a proposal to reform the party after poor election results.
2007: Alleged Fraud by Allekt
In 2007 Allekt, an advertising company headed by Navalny, allegedly defrauded the Union of Right Forces (SPS) political party.
2007: Co-founding of NAROD and Anti-Immigration Videos
In 2007, Alexei Navalny co-founded the National Russian Liberation Movement (NAROD) and released anti-immigration videos.
2008: Alleged Embezzlement by Navalny and His Brother
In 2008 Alexei Navalny and his brother Oleg allegedly embezzled 55 million rubles while working in a postal business.
2008: Initial Support for Russo-Georgian War
In 2008, Alexei Navalny initially supported the Russo-Georgian War and made controversial statements about Georgians, which he later apologized for.
2009: Alleged Embezzlement from Kirovles
In 2009, Alexei Navalny allegedly conspired to steal timber from Kirovles, a state-owned company, while acting as an advisor to Kirov's governor Nikita Belykh. This allegation led to the Kirovles case.
November 2010: Navalny Publishes Confidential Transneft Documents
In November 2010, Alexei Navalny published confidential documents related to Transneft's auditing, alleging that approximately US$4 billion was stolen by the company's leaders during the construction of the Eastern Siberia–Pacific Ocean oil pipeline.
2010: Initial Report on the Estate
In 2010 after the businessman Sergei Kolesnikov, who was involved in the project, gave details about it the estate was first reported on.
February 2011: Navalny Calls United Russia "Party of Crooks and Thieves"
In February 2011, Alexei Navalny referred to the United Russia party as a "party of crooks and thieves" during an interview, a phrase that gained popularity among the opposition.
February 2011: Hungarian Officials Detained in Real Estate Scandal
In February 2011, three Hungarian officials were detained due to their involvement in a scandalous real estate deal where Hungary sold a former embassy building in Moscow for US$21 million to an offshore company, which then resold it to the Russian government for US$116 million.
May 2011: Criminal Investigation Launched Against Navalny
In May 2011, the Russian government initiated a criminal investigation into Alexei Navalny, which was widely perceived as retaliation for his activities.
2011: Alleged Embezzlement by Navalny and His Brother
In 2011 Alexei Navalny and his brother Oleg allegedly embezzled 55 million rubles while working in a postal business.
2011: Leaks of Palace Interior
In 2011 photographs from inside the palace, were leaked onto the Internet.
2011: Navalny Identifies as a Nationalist Democrat
In 2011, Alexei Navalny declared himself a "nationalist democrat" and co-organized the "Russian march".
2011: United Russia Labelled "Party of Crooks and Thieves"
In a 2011 interview, Alexei Navalny famously described Russia's ruling party, United Russia, as a "party of crooks and thieves", a label that quickly gained widespread popularity and became synonymous with the party.
February 2012: Navalny Alleges Misspending of Federal Funds in Chechnya
In February 2012, Alexei Navalny concluded that Russian federal money allocated to Ramzan Kadyrov's Chechen Interior Ministry was being spent "in a totally shadowy and fraudulent way."
July 2012: Navalny Charged with Embezzlement in Kirovles Case
On July 30, 2012, the Investigative Committee charged Alexei Navalny with embezzlement, alleging he conspired to steal timber from Kirovles, a state-owned company, in 2009 while advising Kirov's governor.
December 2012: Investigative Committee Interrogates Yves Rocher Vostok
In November and December 2012, the Investigative Committee interrogated and questioned Yves Rocher Vostok.
December 2012: Investigative Committee Asserts Fraud by Allekt Against Union of Right Forces
In late December 2012, the Investigative Committee of Russia asserted that Allekt, an advertising company headed by Navalny, defrauded the Union of Right Forces (SPS) political party in 2007.
2012: Embezzlement and fraud charges declared
In 2012, Navalny was charged with embezzlement and fraud charges.
April 2013: Loeb & Loeb Issues Analysis Criticizing Navalny Prosecutions
In April 2013, Loeb & Loeb LLP issued a paper titled "An Analysis of the Russian Federation's prosecutions of Alexei Navalny," concluding that the Kremlin misused the legal system to harass and silence political opponents.
April 2013: Kirovles Trial Commences
The Kirovles trial against Alexei Navalny commenced in the city of Kirov on April 17, 2013.
October 2013: Navalny's Prison Sentence Suspended
On October 16, 2013, a court in Kirov suspended Alexei Navalny's prison sentence, but it remained a burden for his political future.
2013: Navalny's Stance on Immigration after Moscow Riots
In 2013, following ethnic riots in Moscow, Alexei Navalny expressed sympathy for the anti-immigration movement and commented on ethnic tensions. Later expressed the need to educate nationalists and solve immigration through democratic means.
2013: Initial Kirovles case sentence
In 2013, the Leninsky district court of Kirov initially sentenced Navalny in the Kirovles case which was later sent to a new trial.
2013: Repeated 2013 Sentence
On February 8, 2017, the Leninsky district court of Kirov repeated its sentence of 2013.
February 2014: Navalny Placed Under House Arrest
On February 28, 2014, Alexei Navalny was placed under house arrest for allegedly violating travel restrictions and was prohibited from communicating with anyone other than his family, lawyers, and investigators.
December 2014: Navalny Brothers Found Guilty in Yves Rocher Case
On December 30, 2014, Alexei and Oleg Navalny were found guilty of fraud and money laundering in the Yves Rocher case. Alexei received a suspended sentence, while Oleg was sentenced to prison. Alexei was briefly apprehended after breaking house arrest to attend a rally.
2014: Timur Kuashev's Death Linked to Tracking Unit
In January 2021, investigations linked the unit that tracked Alexei Navalny to the 2014 death of activist Timur Kuashev.
2014: Yves Rocher Case Suspended Sentence
In January 2021, prior to Alexei Navalny's return to Russia, the FSIN stated that he might face jail time for violating the terms of his probation from a suspended sentence he received in 2014 in the Yves Rocher case.
October 2015: Navalny Pays Partial Compensation in Yves Rocher Case
In October 2015, Alexei Navalny paid part of the compensation (2.9 million rubles) he was ordered to pay, and requested an installment plan for the rest. The request was granted, with a shorter term than requested.
2015: Ruslan Magomedragimov's Death Linked to Tracking Unit
In January 2021, investigations linked the unit that tracked Alexei Navalny to the 2015 death of activist Ruslan Magomedragimov.
November 2016: Russia's Supreme Court Overturns 2013 Sentence
On November 16, 2016, Russia's Supreme Court overturned Alexei Navalny's 2013 sentence in the Kirovles case and sent the verdict back to the Leninsky District Court in Kirov for review.
February 2017: Re-sentencing in Kirovles case
On February 8, 2017, the Leninsky district court of Kirov re-sentenced Navalny with a five-year suspended sentence in the Kirovles case, which could prohibit his official registration as a candidate.
February 2017: Leninsky District Court of Kirov Repeats 2013 Sentence
On February 8, 2017, the Leninsky district court of Kirov repeated its sentence of 2013 and charged Alexei Navalny with a five-year suspended sentence. Navalny announced that he would pursue the annulment of the sentence.
March 2017: Navalny Accuses Dmitry Medvedev of Corruption and Organizes Anti-Corruption Rallies
In March 2017, Navalny published an investigation accusing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of corruption and organized anti-corruption rallies across Russia on March 26. He was later fined and jailed for organizing an illegal protest and resisting arrest on March 27.
April 2017: Zelyonka attack outside office
On April 27, 2017, Navalny was attacked by unknown assailants outside his office with brilliant green dye, resulting in a chemical burn to his right eye and reportedly losing 80 percent of his sight. He accused the Kremlin of orchestrating the attack.
September 2017: Accusations of police interference
In September 2017, Human Rights Watch accused Russian police of systematic interference with Navalny's presidential campaign. Also, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe invited Russian authorities to erase the prohibition on Mr. Navalny's standing for election.
December 2017: Barred from running for president
In December 2017, Russia's Central Electoral Commission barred Navalny from running for president in 2018, citing Navalny's corruption conviction. Navalny called for a boycott of the 2018 presidential election.
2017: ECHR Ruling on Yves Rocher Case
In January 2021, prior to Alexei Navalny's return to Russia, the FSIN stated that he might face jail time for violating the terms of his probation. In 2017, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Navalny was unfairly convicted in the Yves Rocher case.
January 2018: Protests and Arrest
On January 28, 2018, Navalny led protests to urge a boycott of Russia's 2018 presidential election. Navalny was arrested on the day of the protest and then released the same day, pending trial.
February 2018: Accusation of assaulting an officer
On February 5, 2018, the government accused Navalny of assaulting an officer during the January protests.
August 2018: Navalny Accuses Viktor Zolotov of Stealing from National Guard Contracts
In August 2018, Alexei Navalny alleged that Viktor Zolotov stole at least US$29 million from procurement contracts for the National Guard of Russia.
September 2018: Arrest and conviction for organizing illegal demonstrations
Immediately after his release on September 25, 2018, Navalny was arrested and convicted for organizing illegal demonstrations and sentenced to another 20 days in jail.
2018: Presidential election boycott
In 2018, Navalny was barred from running for president. He called for a boycott of the 2018 presidential election.
April 2019: Moskovsky Shkolnik Files Lawsuit Against Navalny
In April 2019, Moskovsky Shkolnik, a company allegedly linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin, filed a lawsuit against Alexei Navalny after he claimed they supplied poor-quality food to schools causing a dysentery outbreak.
July 2019: Arrest, Hospitalization, and Smart Voting Project
In July 2019, Navalny was arrested for ten days, then for 30 days. On the evening of July 28, he was hospitalized with severe damage to his eyes and skin, diagnosed with an "allergy", although this diagnosis was disputed. On July 29, 2019, Navalny was discharged from hospital and taken back to prison. In response, he initiated the Smart Voting project.
October 2019: Court Orders Navalny to Pay Millions in Lawsuit
In October 2019, the Moscow Arbitration Court ordered Alexei Navalny to pay 29.2 million rubles after Moskovsky Shkolnik filed a lawsuit against him. Navalny maintained that the dysentery cases were proven with documents, showing the situation in October 2019.
2019: Nikita Isayev's Death Linked to Tracking Unit
In January 2021, investigations linked the unit that tracked Alexei Navalny to the 2019 death of politician Nikita Isayev.
April 2020: Yandex Artificially Ranks Negative Commentary About Navalny
In April 2020, Yandex search engine started artificially placing negative commentary about Navalny on the top positions in its search results for his name.
June 2020: Slander Charges Against Navalny Launched
In June 2020, a case was launched against Alexei Navalny on slander charges for defaming a World War II veteran who participated in a promotional video. The charges came to trial in February 2021.
August 2020: Poisoning with Novichok Nerve Agent
In August 2020, Alexei Navalny was severely poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent. He was hospitalized and medically evacuated to Berlin for treatment.
August 2020: Prigozhin to Enforce Court Decision
On 25 August 2020, Yevgeny Prigozhin stated his intent to enforce a court decision requiring Alexei Navalny, Lyubov Sobol, and the Anti-Corruption Foundation to pay 88 million rubles in damages to Moskovsky Shkolnik over a video investigation.
December 2020: Russia Passes Laws Prioritizing Constitution over International Rulings
In December 2020, Russia passed laws giving its constitution precedence over rulings by international bodies, setting the stage for their rejection of the ECHR ruling in February 2021 regarding Alexei Navalny.
December 2020: Navalny Releases Video Exposing Poisoning Details
On 21 December 2020, Alexei Navalny released a video of himself impersonating a Russian security official and speaking with a chemical weapons expert. The expert revealed the poison was placed on Navalny's clothing, specifically his underwear.
January 2021: Investigation Links Navalny's Tracking Unit to Other Deaths
In January 2021, Bellingcat, The Insider, and Der Spiegel connected the unit that tracked Alexei Navalny to the deaths of activists Timur Kuashev (2014), Ruslan Magomedragimov (2015), and politician Nikita Isayev (2019).
January 2021: Court Orders Detention of Navalny and Investigation Published
On 18 January 2021, a court ordered the detention of Alexei Navalny until 15 February for violating his parole. The next day, an investigation by Navalny and the FBK was published accusing President Vladimir Putin of corruption, leading to mass protests.
January 2021: Navalny's Lawyers Apply to ECHR for Interim Measure
On 20 January 2021, Alexei Navalny's lawyers applied to the European Court of Human Rights for an "interim measure" for his release after his detention.
January 2021: Navalny Investigation Accuses Putin of Building Lavish Estate
On January 19, 2021, two days after being detained, Navalny and the FBK published an investigation accusing President Vladimir Putin of using fraudulently obtained funds to build a massive estate near Gelendzhik, alleging it cost over 100 billion rubles.
February 2021: Amnesty International Briefly Revokes Navalny's Prisoner of Conscience Status
In February 2021, Amnesty International briefly revoked Alexei Navalny's designation as a prisoner of conscience due to complaints about past xenophobic comments, but reversed the decision in May, clarifying that the designation does not endorse his views.
February 2021: European Court of Human Rights Rules for Navalny's Release
On 16 February 2021, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Russia should immediately release Alexei Navalny, citing risks to his life. However, Russian officials rejected the ruling.
February 2021: Navalny's Suspended Sentence Replaced with Prison Sentence
On 2 February 2021, a Moscow court replaced Alexei Navalny's suspended sentence with a prison sentence. The verdict was widely condemned, and protests ensued, met with police crackdown.
March 2021: Navalny Accuses Authorities of Torture
In March 2021, Alexei Navalny formally accused authorities of torture by sleep deprivation and complained about health problems and denied access to a civilian physician.
March 2021: EU and US Impose Sanctions on Russian Officials
In early March 2021, the European Union and the United States imposed sanctions on senior Russian officials in response to the poisoning and imprisonment of Alexei Navalny.
April 2021: Moscow Prosecutor Requests Designation of Navalny's Organizations as Extremist
On 16 April 2021, the Moscow prosecutor's office requested the Moscow City Court to designate organizations linked to Alexei Navalny as extremist, claiming they were creating conditions for destabilization.
April 2021: Moscow Prosecutor Orders Navalny's Network to Cease Activities
On 26 April 2021, Moscow's prosecutor office ordered Alexei Navalny's network of regional offices to cease its activities, pending a court ruling on whether to designate them as extremist organizations.
April 2021: Navalny's Team Announces Dissolution of Political Network
On 29 April 2021, Alexei Navalny's team announced that the political network would be dissolved, in advance of a court ruling expected to designate it as extremist. Also, a new criminal case was opened against Navalny.
April 2021: Doctors Arrested While Trying to Visit Navalny
On 6 April 2021, six doctors, including Alexei Navalny's personal physician, were arrested outside the prison when they attempted to visit him as his health deteriorated significantly due to his hunger strike started in March 2021.
May 2021: Amnesty International listed Navalny as a prisoner of conscience
In May 2021, Amnesty International listed Navalny as a prisoner of conscience, stating that his incarceration was primarily due to his political beliefs.
June 2021: Navalny's Political Network Designated as Extremist and Liquidated
On 9 June 2021, Alexei Navalny's political network, including his headquarters and the FBK, were designated as extremist organizations and liquidated by the Moscow City Court.
August 2021: Court upholds decision classifying Navalny case file as state secret
In August 2021, the First Court of Appeal of General Jurisdiction in Moscow upheld the decision to classify Alexei Navalny's case file as a state secret. The prosecutor stated that Navalny and other defendants were considered extremist because they wanted to change power in Russia and support protesters.
October 2021: Navalny designated as "terrorist" and "extremist" by Russian prison commission
In October 2021, Alexei Navalny reported that the Russian prison commission had designated him as a "terrorist" and "extremist," although he was no longer considered a flight risk.
January 2022: Russia adds Navalny to "terrorists and extremists" list
In January 2022, Russia added Alexei Navalny and his aides to the official list of "terrorists and extremists."
February 2022: Navalny faces new trial on fraud and contempt charges
In February 2022, Alexei Navalny faced a new trial, potentially adding 10 to 15 years to his prison sentence, on charges of fraud and contempt of court. The charges included allegations of stealing $4.7 million in donations and insulting a judge.
February 2022: Witness refuses to testify; Navalny condemns invasion of Ukraine during trial
In February 2022, a prosecution witness refused to testify against Alexei Navalny, stating he was pressured. During his trial on February 24, Navalny condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and asked for his statement to be included in the trial's protocol.
March 2022: Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison
In March 2022, Alexei Navalny was sentenced to an additional nine years in prison after being found guilty of embezzlement and contempt of court in a trial deemed a sham by Amnesty International.
May 2022: Navalny notified of new extremism charges
On May 31, 2022, Alexei Navalny reported that he was officially notified about new charges of extremism brought against him, potentially adding up to 15 years to his prison sentence.
June 2022: Navalny loses appeal on "extremist" designation
On June 28, 2022, Alexei Navalny lost his appeal against being designated as an "extremist" and "terrorist."
August 2023: Sentenced to 19 Years on Extremism Charges
In August 2023, Alexei Navalny received another sentence of 19 years on extremism charges, further extending his imprisonment and solidifying concerns about politically motivated persecution.
August 2023: Navalny sentenced to additional 19 years in prison
On August 4, 2023, Alexei Navalny was sentenced to an additional 19 years in a "special regime" colony on various charges after being found guilty by the Moscow City Court in a closed-doors trial.
October 2023: Navalny's lawyers arrested for communicating with him.
On October 13, 2023, three of Alexei Navalny's lawyers were arrested for communicating his messages from prison, and face up to 6 years in prison.
October 2023: Navalny's lawyers detained on extremism charges
On October 13, 2023, three of Alexei Navalny's lawyers were detained and charged with participating in an "extremist group" for allegedly passing his messages from the penal colony.
2024: Death Reported in Prison
In 2024, the Russian prison service reported the death of Alexei Navalny, sparking protests in Russia and internationally, and leading to accusations against Putin's government.
