Russia sentenced three lawyers who defended late opposition leader Alexei Navalny to prison terms of 3.5 to 5.5 years for transmitting his messages from prison, labeling them as participants in an “extremist organization.”

This move is part of a broader crackdown on dissent during the Ukraine conflict, alarming rights groups and drawing international criticism.

Navalny’s widow and Western nations, including the US, UK, France, and Germany, condemned the sentences as political repression targeting human rights defenders, The Guardian has reported.

The lawyers’ trial follows Navalny’s death in Arctic custody and highlights escalating risks for those defending political prisoners in Russia.

Written by B.C. Begley