Putin targets liberal opposition ahead of elections, cracks down on Boris Nadezhdin

Russian authorities are intensifying their crackdown on liberal opposition figures ahead of the September Duma elections, targeting Boris Nadezhdin, a long-time democratic politician. Nadezhdin, who previously ran for president, was recently declared a "foreign agent," disqualifying him from the Duma race. Despite this, he continued his campaign, citing that collecting signatures is not illegal.

The state then escalated its actions, temporarily detaining Nadezhdin and initiating proceedings against him for "demonstrating extremist symbolism." The accusation stems from a video he posted in November 2023, featuring a discussion where a photo of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny appeared. Navalny's organizations have been branded "extremist" by the Russian state, making any association with his image a potential legal offense.

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I hope that I can continue to live, be free, and stay in Russia.

Adding to his legal troubles, Nadezhdin was issued an exit ban. A court in his hometown of Dolgoprudny fined him for the "extremism" charge, avoiding a longer arrest that could have been repeatedly renewed. Nadezhdin had previously expressed a desire to avoid arrest, contrasting his potential fates with those of Vladimir Lenin, who fled into exile, and Alexei Navalny, who died in a Russian penal colony.

Nadezhdin, a seasoned politician, never achieved the widespread popularity of figures like Nemtsov or Navalny, which may have contributed to his continued presence until these recent actions. The government's monitoring of opposition figures' public statements appears to be a strategy to find grounds for legal prosecution.

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The path of Lenin or the path of Navalny.