Putin promotes judge linked to Navalny's prison ordeal
On Monday, the independent portal Meduza reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin promoted Judge Kirill Nikiforov, who had been rejecting opposition leader Alexei Navalny's complaints about conditions in the penal colony. The decision was made under a decree dated 13 December, in which Nikiforov was appointed to judge the regional court in Vladimir.
Nikiforov, previously a judge in the city of Vladimir, was responsible for dismissing numerous complaints from Navalny regarding serving his sentence in penal colony No. 6 in Melekhovo, about 260 kilometres east of Moscow. The opposition leader complained about regular placement in solitary confinement and violations of prisoners' rights.
According to Mediazona, in 2022, Nikiforov rejected Navalny's complaint about unlawful placement in solitary confinement. In January 2023, he again dismissed the opposition leader's application regarding 12-day isolation.
After the death of Alexei Navalny, the leader of the Russian opposition, the world reacted with outrage. The 47-year-old lawyer, imprisoned in a penal colony beyond the Arctic Circle, died on 16 February 2024, under unexplained circumstances. Information provided by Russian prison services about his sudden death during a walk was widely commented on and raised doubts about how it was presented.
International reactions were decisive. The European Union quickly took action, imposing sanctions on 19 people associated with the alleged death of Navalny, including investigators and prosecutors. In March 2023, Judge Nikiforov was added to the list of individuals sanctioned by the European Union and Canada for contributing to Navalny's death.
Navalny's death became a catalyst for anti-Kremlin opposition actions. In response to the tragedy, hackers broke into the Russian prison system, revealing prisoner data. This act aimed not only at revenge but also at spreading information about the situation in Russian prisons and about Navalny's death itself. The leader’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, continues his activities despite ongoing repression.
