he Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation opened a criminal case against Alexei Navalny on the creation of an extremist community. This was reported to journalists on Tuesday in the press service of the IC.

They explained that the Main Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case under Part 1 of Art. 282.1 of the Criminal Code (creation and management of an extremist community) against “A. Navalny, L. Volkov, I. Zhdanov and other persons” and under Part 2 of Art. 282.1 of the Criminal Code (participation in an extremist community) “against L. Sobol, G. Alburov, R. Shaveddinov, V. Gimadi, P. Zelensky, R. Mulyukov and others.” 

Navalny’s defense was not notified of the initiation of a new criminal case on extremism, said lawyer Vadim Kobzev. “The defense has not yet been officially notified of the initiation of a new case on extremism. No investigative actions have been taken. So far, I cannot comment on this information on the merits,” the lawyer said.

As a law enforcement source clarified to TASS, most of the defendants in the case are outside the Russian Federation, they can be arrested in absentia. “According to the information available at the moment, Leonid Volkov, Ivan Zhdanov, Lyubov Sobol, Georgy Alburov, Ruslan Shaveddinov are outside Russia. In the near future, the investigation may go to court with a demand for their arrest in absentia,” said the agency’s interlocutor. Volkov has already been arrested in absentia – in the case of persuading minors to commit illegal actions in information and telecommunication networks.