Putin critic Alexei Navalny facing decades in prison as new trial begins

Alexei Navalny, the jailed Russian opposition leader, is set to face a new trial on charges of extremism that may see him imprisoned for decades.

He is currently serving a nine-year sentence for parole violations, fraud, and contempt of court. Navalny and his supporters maintain that his arrest and imprisonment in 2021 were politically motivated. 

The trial is scheduled to start on Monday in the penal colony located 250km (150 miles) east of Moscow, where he is currently detained.

Navalny is facing multiple accusations, including the establishment of an extremist network and the provision of financial support to extremist activities. Should he be found guilty, his prison sentence could potentially be extended by up to 30 years.

Navalny, 47, has long been the most prominent face of Russian opposition to President Putin and has exposed corruption at the heart of Russian power for more than a decade.