Alexei Navalny, jailed Russian critic appears in court via video link

Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny appeared at a court hearing via video link on Wednesday, according to a Reuters reporter in the courtroom.

He is suing his prison over what he alleges is its illegal failure to supply him with books of his choice and censorship of newspapers he reads. His prison has said it is acting in accordance with Russian law.

In a post on his Instagram account on Tuesday, Navalny said he had been informed about three new criminal investigations against him.

Navalny said he had learned about the cases from an investigator who visited him in custody on Monday.

“I’m becoming a more hardened criminal every day,” he joked in the post. “So don’t think I’m only sitting in a cell, drinking tea and doing nothing.”

The Russian Investigative Committee said earlier it had opened cases involving FBK and human rights violations against Navalny and his allies.

In February, a prosecutor requested the Investigative Committee to check if Navalny’s statements during one of his trials could qualify as being insulting towards the judge.

Reuters