Navalny lawyer on trial for ‘extremism’ delivers final statement in court

Vadim Kobzev, one of three Russian lawyers currently on trial for “extremism” for their past work representing slain opposition leader Alexey Navalny, made his final statement to a court in the city of Petushki in Russia’s Vladimir region on Friday, Novaya Gazeta reported.

In December, prosecutors requested a prison sentence of five years and 11 months for Kobzev, as well as five years and 10 months for Alexey Liptser, and five years and 6 months for Igor Sergunin, the two other former Navalny lawyers also on trial.

All three were accused of facilitating Navalny in “leading an extremist community” by using their access to him in prison to pass on letters written by the late opposition leader to his associates.

Kobzev began his speech by thanking the judge, Yulia Shilova, for her “measured and balanced approach” as well as “stoic calmness and titanic patience” during the trial. “At times, your face showed signs of inner struggle, but your composure always prevailed,” he said, also thanking the prosecutors for their “restraint”. He also thanked his defence team, most of whom he said had represented the defendants pro bono.

“We are on trial for passing on Navalny’s thoughts to other people,” Kobzev continued. “But could Navalny imagine in 2011 that in 2021, all his activity over the past decade would be outlawed, and that his lawyers would be on trial by 2024?”

One suggestion made by Navalny to his team from prison that was considered “extremist” by prosecutors was for them to post about rising food prices on Telegram, Kobzev added, saying “Who knows, maybe in 5–10 years’ time, there will be hundreds of people in prison in Russia for reporting on rising prices?”

“The future is unknown, but we know the past,” Kobzev said, noting that in Soviet times “people with the same serious faces” sent citizens to prison camps for criticising the authorities, only to overturn the rulings years later, saying “their hands were tied”.

Now, history is repeating itself, Kobzev noted, as Russia “finds itself in the same place” with people once again being tried for “discrediting officials and state bodies”.

Kobzev ended his speech by quoting from the novel Spark of Life by Erich Maria Remarque, in which an American corporal lists the three most common excuses given by former Nazi officials in post-war Germany — “I knew nothing about it”, “I acted under orders”, and “I always tried to do my best”.

“Your Honour! I sincerely hope that you will never, under any circumstances, have to utter any of these three sentences in connection with your verdict,” he concluded.

The verdict is expected to be announced on 17 January.