Russian opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin faces charges over Navalny-related 'extremist' post
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Politician Boris Nadezhdin was released from a police station in the Moscow suburb of Dolgoprudny after being detained on July 13 over alleged display of "extremist symbols," according to Russian independent media outlet Mediazona.
Nadezhdin was released on the condition that he appear in court, where his administrative case is scheduled to be heard on July 17, Mediazona reported.
The charge stems from a link posted on his social media account to a video featuring late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
Nadezhdin was detained earlier on July 13 under Article 20.3 of Russia's Code of Administrative Offenses, which concerns the display of extremist symbols.
The politician ran for Russia's presidency in 2024 as the only openly anti-war candidate, but the Central Election Commission barred him from the ballot, citing an excessive number of allegedly invalid signatures submitted in support of his candidacy.
He had planned to run as an independent candidate in Russia's State Duma elections scheduled for September 2026 and submitted the required documents to the Central Election Commission in June before beginning to collect signatures.
Russian authorities designated Nadezhdin a "foreign agent" on July 10, a label that prevents him from running in elections.
The administrative charge he now faces also carries a one-year ban on participating in elections if he is found guilty, further preventing him from seeking public office.
Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has cracked down on dissent and freedom of expression, specifically targeting people who have been critical of the war. Thousands of Russian citizens have been arrested and jailed for speaking out against the Putin regime.
