‘Putin Is My Enemy.’ The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
TimeApr 21
Russia Issues Arrest Warrant for Alexei Navalny's Widow
Above: Yulia Navalnaya, widow of late Russian opposition figure Aleksei Navalny, after she voted in Russian elections on March 17, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. Image copyright: Sean Gallup/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
A Moscow court on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, for participating in an "extremist" community.
The court ordered Navalnaya — who has lived in self-exile since 2021 and has resided in Germany since Navalny's death in February — to be put into custody for two months.
The Spin
Anti-Russia narrative
It's no surprise that the court didn't share the explicit reason for Navalnaya's charges — because there wasn't any. The arrest warrant against her is an arrest warrant against the desire for freedom and democracy. However, it will not stop Navalnaya from continuing Navalny's fight, exposing the Russian government's corruption, and creating a free Russia of the future.
Pro-Russia narrative
Navalnaya was charged under Article 282.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which punishes members of an extremist organization with up to six years imprisonment. She has openly participated in outlawed extremist structures founded by her late husband and has been evading law enforcement authorities. The West must stop spreading lies and glorifying Russian anti-nationals.