<p><img src="https://static2.businessinsider.com/image/6030fb79623bd30012bcc62f-2400/AP21033366865770.jpg" border="0" alt="Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny talks to one of his lawyers" data-mce-source="Moscow City Court via AP" data-mce-caption="Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny talks to one of his lawyers"></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Russian opposition leader and vocal Putin critic, Alexey Navalny, lost his court appeal and faces a transfer to a prison camp within days, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-politics-navalny/kremlin-critic-navalny-back-in-court-for-jail-appeal-possible-fine-idUSKBN2AK08Y">Reuters reported</a>. <br><br>The former lawyer was arrested after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alexei-navalny-putin-critic-sentenced-after-poisoning-2021-2">landing back in Russia</a>, following his Berlin-based hospitalization. He was being treated for a near-fatal nerve agent attack, that he has blamed on Russian president, Vladimir Putin, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54369664">The BBC reported</a>.</p><p>His arrest, for charges he claims are fabricated, has sparked mass protests across Russia and escalated tensions with Western governments, seeing condemnation from the EU and US, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/02/russian-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-jailed">The Guardian reported</a>. </p><p>The Kremlin, Russia's government, denies any involvement in his poisoning.</p><p>Navalny charges were for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alexei-navalny-putin-critic-sentenced-after-poisoning-2021-2">breaking the terms of a suspended sentence </a>in 2014 for embezzlement. These required him to report regularly to Russian police; however, he was unable to do so when recovering in Germany.</p><p>Navalny called the charges "absurd" as he was unable to report to police during recovery.</p><p>"The whole world knew where I was," he said. "Once I'd recovered, I bought a plane ticket and came home," <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56137020">The BBC reported</a>. "The main thing I want to say is don't be afraid," he said, in a speech that cited the Bible, the Harry Potter series and sci-fi cartoon series Rick and Morty.</p><p>On February 16, the European court of human rights (ECHR) ruled that Russia risked breaching the European Convention on Human Rights if it did not release Navalny immediately, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-17/european-court-asks-russia-to-release-navalny-immediately">according to Bloomberg.</a> This court decision was rejected by officials in Moscow.</p><p>Despite dismissing the appeal, the judge did reduce Navalny's three-year sentence in a penal colony by six weeks, per The BBC.</p><p>Navalny is also unlikely to get an early release as he has been labeled an escape threat, the state-run Tass news service reported Friday, citing a member of Russia's Public Oversight Committee.</p><p>His defense team said it would appeal Saturday's ruling, Bloomberg reported.</p><p>The opposition activist faces a fine of 950,000 rubles ($13,000) in a separate case later on Saturday. He stands accused of slandering a second world war veteran who praised President Putin, per <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/12/alexei-navalny-back-in-court-on-charges-of-slandering-war-veteran">The Guardian</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/putin-opposition-leader-alexey-navalny-rusisian-prison-camp-loses-appeal-2021-2#comments">Join the conversation about this story »</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-its-like-to-do-your-own-taxes-for-the-very-first-time-2018-2">July 15 is Tax Dayhere's what it's like to do your own taxes for the very first time</a></p>
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