Moscow court upholds 19-year prison sentence for Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny

MOSCOW (AP) — A court in Moscow has upheld a 19-year prison sentence for imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who was convicted on charges of extremism in August. Navalny was found guilty on charges related to the activities of his anti-corruption foundation and statements by his top associates. It was his fifth criminal conviction and his third and longest prison term — all of which his supporters see as a deliberate Kremlin strategy to silence its most ardent opponent. Navalny’s 19-year sentence will be backdated to Jan. 17, 2021, the day he was arrested, meaning he is expected to be in prison until January 2040. He was already serving a nine-year term.