Russian Court Fines Anti-War Politician, Detains Blogger Ahead of Parliamentary Polls

Russian authorities have taken legal action against two individuals critical of the government, as the country prepares for parliamentary elections in September. Blogger Ilya Remeslo was ordered to be held in pre-trial detention for two months on suspicion of spreading false information about the military. Local politician Boris Nadezhdin was convicted of displaying extremist symbols, which bars him from collecting signatures to register as a candidate.

Remeslo, who had previously supported President Vladimir Putin, changed his stance in March 2023, calling the president a 'war criminal and thief' and calling for his resignation. He was detained in St Petersburg and taken to Moscow for a court appearance, where the detention order was issued.

Nadezhdin, 63, gained attention in 2022 when he attempted to run for president on an anti-war platform but was barred due to alleged signature irregularities. He has been designated a 'foreign agent' and was convicted on Monday for reposting a video in 2023 that briefly showed an image of the late opposition figure Alexei Navalny. The court fined him 1,000 roubles (£9.50; US$13), but Nadezhdin said he cannot pay because his accounts are frozen.

Nadezhdin suffers from high blood pressure and diabetes; he briefly fell during the court hearing in his hometown of Dolgoprudny, near Moscow. He denied the charges, stating that the real aim is to silence him and prevent him from running for the State Duma. He can appeal the ruling.

Few prominent opposition figures remain in Russia. Many have gone into exile, and Navalny died in February 2024 while serving a sentence in a penal colony in the Arctic. Russian authorities stated that he died of natural causes, but the United Kingdom and four European countries have said they believe he was poisoned with a lethal toxin. No official conclusion has been reached.

The legal actions against Remeslo and Nadezhdin come at a time when Russia's political space has narrowed significantly since the onset of the Ukraine conflict. Critics of the government face various legal restrictions, including charges of discrediting the military or displaying extremist symbols, which are often used to prevent them from participating in elections.