DISINFO: By awarding Navalny the Sakharov Prize, the West is supporting its lackey
SUMMARY
By awarding this year's Sakharov Prize to convicted felon Alexei Navalny, the West has yet again proven that the activist is a foreign agent receiving support from abroad.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative seeking to discredit jailed opposition activist Alexei Navalny.
There is no evidence to suggest that the Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny is a "lackey" acting in the interests of the West. Alexei Navalny has long been the most prominent face of Russian opposition to President Vladimir Putin. Navalny's candidacy in the 2018 presidential election was banned by authorities over his conviction by a Russian court for embezzlement, which bars him from running for office. He has been arrested and imprisoned several times during his political career.
Most recently Alexei Navalny was detained and sentenced following his return to Moscow from Germany, where he was treated for the poisoning with Novichok-type nerve agent. The EU has condemned the detention of Alexei Navalny and called for his immediate release.
In addition to founding the Russia of the Future party in 2018, Navalny is also the founder and leader of the "Anti-Corruption Foundation" (FBK), which has investigated embezzlement from the Russian state budget, uncovered the lives of Russian politicians and businessmen close to the government and different corruption practices. FBK's goal is to eliminate corruption. Their funding comes from donations and therefore the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation recognised FBK as a "foreign agent" due to the Russian "foreign agent" law because they receive donations from outside Russia. However, FBK does not agree with this claim and is appealing it in court.