A Russian court has sentenced three lawyers representing the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny to prison terms ranging from 3.5 to 5.5 years. The lawyers were found guilty of being members of an extremist group, according to media reports.

Three defense attorneys representing Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who tragically passed away while in custody in 2024, were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 3.5 to 5.5 years on Friday in Russia.

Vadim Kobzev, Igor Sergunin, and Alexei Liptser were detained in October 2023 and were subsequently added to an official list of individuals categorized as "terrorists and extremists" by Russian authorities the following month.

Kobzev received a sentence of five and a half years in a penal colony, while Liptser was sentenced to five years and Sergunin to three and a half years.

The three lawyers are accused of being members of an extremist organization. This charge stems from a 2021 ruling that labeled Navalny's organizations as extremist groups, effectively banning them.

Navalny, who had been convicted of extremism and other charges, all of which he denied, passed away suddenly in February while being held in an Arctic penal colony. His death has raised significant concerns regarding his treatment in custody.

Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny's wife, has publicly condemned the sentences of the three lawyers, referring to them as political prisoners. She stated that their only crime was fulfilling their duties as defense lawyers.

This case is widely viewed as an effort to increase pressure on the opposition and serve as a warning to defense attorneys who might consider taking on politically charged cases.

The Kremlin has refrained from commenting on the specifics of the court cases but has consistently framed Navalny and his supporters as Western-backed traitors seeking to undermine Russia's stability.