The hacker who terrorized the Russian opposition is headed to trial in Germany

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny announced today that German police are bringing criminal charges against the man known online as Hacker Hell, who has repeatedly claimed responsibility for hacking the emails and blogs of several prominent opposition members, including Navalny in June 2012.

The trial against the hacker is scheduled to begin in Bonn on June 24. On the advice of German law enforcement, Navalny is not at this time revealing Hacker Hell’s real name or photograph, though it’s long been suspected that the man is a 41-year-old man living in Germany. Navalny has accused Russian investigators of assisting Hacker Hell in his attacks on opposition figures.

German prosecutors have summoned Navalny to appear at the trial, though he currently has no passport. Because of Navalny’s suspended criminal sentences, it’s possible that Russian authorities will not allow him out of the country.

Navalny says he and his team spent several years collecting information about Hacker Hell. After learning that he operated out of Germany, Navalny says he turned over the collected data to German prosecutors almost three years ago.

Navalny says German police in late 2013 raided the house of the man suspected of being Hacker Hell, seizing harddisks and other computer equipment.

Hacker Hell will stand accused of stealing emails and other personal data. If convicted, he could face a fine or up to three years in prison.