Russia labels exiled Navalny group ‘terrorist organisation’

Moscow has ramped up its targeting of opposition groups and those connected to Navalny, even after he died in unexplained circumstances in an Arctic prison in 2024, and with all major Russian opposition movements in exile.

Navalny — a charismatic anti-corruption campaigner — was President Vladimir Putin’s main rival at home, drawing hundreds of thousands to the streets in protest against the Kremlin and being regularly arrested and harassed by the authorities.

Russia’s Supreme Court said Thursday it had ruled to label the Anti-Corruption Foundation, registered in the United States and run by Navalny’s former associates, a “terrorist organisation”, banning its activities in Russia.

It said the organisation was “aimed at promoting, justifying, and supporting terrorism”.

Navalny and his organisations were previously labelled “extremist” — a designation which carries similar legal ramifications, also outlawing their activities inside Russia.

The Kremlin routinely uses such labels to target its opponents, forcing them to close down or flee into exile.

In response to the decision, the Anti-Corruption Foundation said: “The real terrorists are Vladimir Putin and his accomplices — the people who started the war, kill civilians and political opponents and imprison people.”

They called it a “political tactic” to suppress opposition and warned that other independent media and human rights groups would soon face the same fate.

Amnesty International said in October, when the case was filed in a Russian court, that the decision “could unleash a floodgate of mass reprisals”.

Russia has massively ramped up a campaign of silencing critics since launching its offensive on Ukraine in February 2022.

Navalny’s allies say unreleased laboratory tests show he was poisoned and killed in prison.

Moscow has rejected any claims that Navalny was killed.