United Russia is gearing up to make opposition leader Alexei Navalny pay for his "party of crooks and thieves" moniker, which has haunted its members since the blogger coined the phrase.
The ruling party plans to create a website where members can register their dissatisfaction with Navalny's disparaging remarks. The ultimate goal is to sue the corruption campaigner to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, Izvestia reported Saturday.
"I want to help not just one or two colleagues, but all those who are interested. For this reason, I decided that we must create an online platform, where all the necessary documents can be openly accessed," United Russia Deputy Vladimir Burmatov, who conceived of the project, told the state-controlled publication.
The site, which is set to go online June 13, could result in a huge bill for anti-corruption campaigner Navalny. If all United Russia members — of which there are roughly 2 million — join the mass lawsuit, the claims could stretch to 60 billion rubles ($1.8 billion).
This would not be the first time that Navalny has landed in hot water over comments aimed at United Russia members.
Moscow's Lyublinsky District Court on June 5 ordered the opposition icon to pay 30,000 rubles to a deputy from the Kremlin-backed party for comments published in a December edition of Esquire magazine. That time the claims centered on the use of the phrase "crooks and thieves," too.
Navalny's lawyer Vadim Kobzev said at the time that his client would appeal the ruling, as it could set a precedent for similar cases, a judgment that is now proving prescient.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
