MOSCOW — Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin was convicted on Friday of displaying what authorities classified as extremist symbols, a ruling that effectively prevents the Kremlin critic from campaigning in September's parliamentary elections and marks the latest legal setback for one of the country's most prominent anti-war politicians.
A court in Dolgoprudny, outside Moscow, found Nadezhdin guilty over a 2023 online interview in which he briefly displayed an image of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The court imposed a fine of 1,000 roubles and the conviction means Nadezhdin can no longer pursue his planned bid for a seat in the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament.
Nadezhdin rejected the charges, describing the case as politically motivated and arguing it was intended to block his participation in the parliamentary election. Russian authorities have not publicly characterized the prosecution in political terms and maintain that laws governing extremist materials must be enforced.
The case follows a series of measures against the 63-year-old politician. Russia's Justice Ministry designated him a "foreign agent" earlier this month, a legal status that imposes additional reporting requirements and restrictions under Russian law. Nadezhdin has also said he has been barred from leaving the country.
Nadezhdin emerged as an unexpected anti-war figure during Russia's 2024 presidential election campaign, collecting thousands of signatures while calling for an end to the conflict in Ukraine. Election authorities later rejected enough signatures to prevent him from appearing on the ballot, a decision upheld by Russia's Supreme Court.
The conviction comes ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for September and amid continued pressure on government critics since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Rights advocates and opposition supporters say Russian authorities have increasingly used laws on extremism, discrediting the armed forces and foreign influence to suppress dissent. The Kremlin has repeatedly said Russia enforces its laws to protect national security and rejects accusations that it persecutes political opponents.
Separately on Friday, authorities arrested blogger Ilya Remeslo, another recent critic of President Vladimir Putin, on charges of spreading allegedly false information about the Russian military, according to the state news agency TASS. The case is proceeding independently from Nadezhdin's.
