Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service says Navalny transferred to prison “outside of Vladimir region”

Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service says that Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny has been transferred to a correctional facility located outside of the Vladimir region.

According to the document, which was read out during a court session Friday, Navalny left Penal Colony No. 6 in Russia’s Vladimir region “in accordance with the legally binding verdict of the Moscow City Court dated August 4, 2023.” “Notification of Navalny’s arrival will be carried out in accordance with existing legislation,” the document states.

Navalny’s press secretary, Kira Yarmysh, said Navalny was allegedly transferred on December 11. “I will remind you that lawyers haven’t seen Alexey since December 6,” Yarmysh wrote.

Navalny’s associates have had no contact with him for 10 days. On December 7 and 11, he failed to appear by video call in court due to what prison officials called issues with the prison’s electrical system.

On December 11, employees at Penal Colony No. 6 in Russia’s Vladimir region, where Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny has been held since June 2022, said that Navalny is “no longer listed” in the prison’s roster of inmates, according to the politician’s lawyer.

On December 12, the Telegram channel Baza reported that Navalny had been transferred to Moscow in connection with a new criminal case regarding vandalism. Navalny’s associates checked most Moscow detention centers in search of the politician but did not find him.