Russia issues arrest warrant for Navalny's widow

Russia has issued an arrest warrant for Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died in an Arctic prison in February. Navalnaya has vowed to continue the work of her husband from exile abroad.

Russia on Tuesday issued an arrest warrant for Yulia Navalnaya, accusing the exiled opposition figure of participating in an "extremist organisation".

A court said it had "approved the request of the investigators and decided a preventive measure in the form of detention for two months".

Navalnaya has vowed to continue the work of her husband Alexei Navalny, Russian leader Vladimir Putin's main opponent who died in an Arctic prison in February.

Navalnaya slammed the warrant in a statement, saying : "Vladimir Putin is a killer and a war criminal. He belongs in prison".

The activist's team also dismissed the allegations.

Navalnaya "was arrested (in absentia!) for 'being a member of an extremist community' by the infamous Basmanny court of Moscow," wrote Leonid Volkov, Navalny's former chief of staff, on X.

"Quite a recognition of Yulia's determination to continue Alexei's fight!" he added.

Navalny's organisations have been outlawed in Russia, labelled an "extremist" group and put on an official "terrorist" list.

(AFP)

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