A court in Moscow has ordered opposition leader Alexei Navalny to take down his second video investigation in two years.
Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation alleged in August that at least $29 million had been stolen from the Russian National Guard’s food supply contracts. The video led the head of the National Guard, Viktor Zolotov, to challenge Navalny to a duel – with the Kremlin’s tacit approval – where he vowed to turn the outspoken Kremlin critic into “mincemeat.”
“The court satisfied the ‘Druzhba Narodov LLC’ meat processing plant’s protection of business reputation claim against Navalny,” Moscow’s arbitration court told Interfax on Tuesday.
Later that day, Navalny tweeted an ironic acronym for a Russian phrase that roughly translates as “we’re so surprised.”
An Anti-Corruption Foundation lawyer said they planned to appeal the court decision.
Last month, a Moscow court rejected National Guard director Viktor Zolotov’s slander lawsuit against Navalny in connection with the same procurement contract investigation.
Previously in 2017, Navalny’s foundation complied with a court order to remove excerpts of a video investigation accusing Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and billionaire Alisher Usmanov of corruption.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
