Officials in the Siberian city of Tomsk have revoked the mandate of the jailed former regional head of Alexei Navalny’s headquarters, removing her from her position as a city council member, local media reported Tuesday.
Ksenia Fadeyeva, who was elected to the Tomsk city council in 2020, was one of the few Navalny allies to remain in Russia despite the risk of criminal prosecution after his political network was outlawed as “extremist” in 2021.
In December, Fadeyeva was sentenced to nine years in prison for creating an “extremist organization.” Last month, a court rejected her appeal against that sentence.
Twenty Tomsk city council members voted in favor of stripping Fadeyeva of her mandate, while three — all from the liberal Yabloko party — voted against it. Just one deputy abstained from voting.
City council members voting in favor of the move cited the “extremism” prison sentence against Fadeyeva.
An election to fill the seat left empty due to Fadeyeva’s removal will take place on Sept. 8.
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.
