Profile In Focus | Alexei Navalny Part 4 (January 2017 - June 2017)
Russia Is A Terrorist State: Part 3 (2011 - 2016)
Profile In Focus | Alexei Navalny Part 4 (January 2017 - June 2017)
“Alexei Navalny, Russian opposition leader, is pictured on a street after zelyonka attack in Moscow” by Evgeny Feldman under CC BY-SA 4.0.
In January 2017, Alexei Navalny, Russia's foremost opposition activist, faced the risk of jail once again. CBC News reported on the ongoing legal challenges that threatened to undermine Navalny's activism. These challenges came to fruition in February when Navalny was found guilty of embezzlement, as reported by The Guardian, NDTV, U.S. News, GBH, and CBS News. Despite the guilty verdict, Navalny was given a five-year suspended jail term, allowing him to continue his opposition activities.
In March 2017, Navalny's Anti-Corruption Fund accused Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of owning a secret massive estate, revealing more evidence of corruption within the Russian government, as reported by Foreign Policy. This revelation added fuel to the fire of Navalny's anti-corruption campaign.
Navalny's activism did not go unnoticed by the authorities. In a dramatic incident, he was doused with green liquid while campaigning in Siberia, as reported by CTV News, Global News, and the daily dot. The green paint attack gained attention and sympathy for Navalny, highlighting the lengths to which some individuals went to silence him.
Despite warnings from the Kremlin, Navalny defiantly held an "illegal" rally, as covered by The Washington Post. The rally led to nationwide protests and the subsequent arrest of Navalny and hundreds of other demonstrators, as reported by The Washington Post and Reuters. Navalny was fined and sentenced to 15 days in jail, reflecting the government's crackdown on dissent.
Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, and other news outlets examined Navalny's long-shot bid to beat Putin and his emergence as a chief opponent to the Russian president. His arrest and the subsequent protests sparked discussions about the future of Russia and the impact of Navalny's activism, as covered by CNBC, Al Jazeera, INSIDER, and The Conversation.
While Navalny faced adversity, he also faced criticism. Some argued that he was not a progressive hero or a democrat, as discussed in salon and Global Voices. However, Newsweek explored the question of whether Navalny could be Vladimir Putin's kryptonite, focusing on his anti-corruption crusade.
In April, Navalny was attacked again, this time with "brilliant green" dye, as reported by BBC News and The Irish Times. The attack left him mostly blind in one eye, as revealed by The Guardian and The New York Times. Despite the attack, Navalny remained resolute in his opposition to Putin, as expressed in an interview with The Guardian.
Navalny's aspirations to run for presidency were dashed in May when an election official declared he couldn't participate, as reported by Reuters. Nevertheless, Navalny maintained his sense of humor, as shown in an article by BuzzFeed News.
In an unconventional move, Russian opposition activists turned to YouTube and Pornhub to bypass media censorship and share their message, as reported by NPR, Mashable, and Vox. The use of these platforms demonstrated the resourcefulness and determination of the opposition in the face of restrictions.
As the first half of 2017 came to a close, Navalny remained a prominent figure in Russian politics. His activism and opposition to Putin's regime attracted both support and criticism. Navalny's relentless fight against corruption and his resilience in the face of attacks highlighted the challenges and risks associated with dissent in Russia.
Written in part in collaboration with ChatGPT on June 29, 2023
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Next: Profile In Focus | Alexei Navalny Part 5 (June 2017 - December 2017)
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Russia Is A Terrorist State:
Part 1 (1990s)
Part 2 (2000s)
Part 3 (2011 - 2016)
Part 4 (2016 - 2019)
Part 5 (2020 - 2021)
Part 6: (2022+)
Sources for Profile In Focus | Alexei Navalny Part 4 (January 2017 - June 2017):
Leading Putin Opponent Found Guilty of Financial Crimes - U.S. News February 8, 2017
Another Putin foe sidelined, this time by Russian court - CBS News February 8, 2017
Russian opposition leader Navalny doused in green liquid - CTV News | AP News March 20, 2017
Putin critic Alexei Navalny splashed with green liquid in Siberia - Global News March 20, 2017
This Is What a Nationwide Protest Against the Russian Government Looks Like - TIME March 26, 2017
Russian court fines opposition leader Alexei Navalny over protest - Reuters March 27, 2017
Inside Alexei Navalny’s Long-Shot Bid to Beat Putin - Bloomberg March 27, 2017
Russian Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny Arrested After Protests - NPR March 27, 2017
Why Putin’s opponent has been jailed and what it means for Russia’s future - CNBC March 27, 2017
Profile: Alexei Navalny, opposition leader - Al Jazeera March 27, 2017
Meet Alexei Navalny — the Russian opposition leader challenging Putin - INSIDER March 27, 2017
How Alexey Navalny Abandoned Russian Nationalism - Global Voices April 25, 2017
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny attacked with green dye - The Irish Times April 28, 2017
Kremlin critic Navalny can't run for presidency - election official - Reuters May 3, 2017
Why are Russian opposition leaders’ faces turning green? - The Economist May 10, 2017
Blocked By Russian Media, Opposition Takes To YouTube - NPR May 31, 2017
Pornhub streams documentary on Russian corruption. Yes Pornhub. - Mashable June 2, 2017
A Russian court banned an anti-Putin video. So activists put it on Pornhub. - Vox June 2, 2017