Multiple Russian journalists arrested on way to attend sentencing hearing for Navalny’s lawyers

Police in the town of Petushki in Russia’s Vladimir region have arrested several journalists accredited to attend a court hearing in the case against late opposition politician Alexey Navalny’s lawyers, Mediazona reported on Friday.

The journalists were reportedly stopped on the train station platform upon arrival and informed by police that their identities needed to be verified. At the local police station, one detainee was told there was an “alert for theft” linked to him.

According to Mediazona, four people were at the police station as of Monday mid-morning: SotaVision correspondent Mikhail Lebedev, two other journalists whose names have been disclosed, and a supporter who came to attend the hearing in support of Navalny’s lawyers. Another journalist was reportedly detained near the courthouse and was being transported to the police station.

The Petushki District Court is scheduled to announce its verdict at 10:00 a.m. for Alexey Navalny’s former lawyers Vadim Kobzev, Alexey Lipster, and Igor Sergunin, who are charged with participating in an “extremist” organization. Prosecutors have requested sentences of more than five years in prison for each defendant.