Younger Russians Regard Navalny Imprisonment as Unfair

Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, who was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison in February, has been on hunger strike since March 31 and, according to reports, is now in danger of death. On Monday, media reported he was being transported to a prison hospital, but he is still to receive the independent medical care by his own team which he has requested. The U.S. and EU have warned Russia of consequences and possible sanctions should Navalny die in custody.

The Russian public is meanwhile split on whether Navalny should have been sentenced to a jail term at all. Navalny and his team have repeatedly called the charges and sentencing politically motivated and its mainly young people that agree. Among 18- to 24-year-olds, 50 percent said that the case against Navalny was rather unfair, while 35 percent said it was rather fair. According to a Levada-Center survey published Friday, opinions were almost the opposite among those 40 to 54 years old. Among those 55 years and older, agreement with the sentencing was even higher, resulting in an overall favorable opinion of it among the Russian public of 48 percent in favor and 29 percent against.

The prominent kremlin critic was treated for a poisoning in Germany last year and has participated in unmasking his assailants, which came from within the Russian security apparatus. Upon his return to Russia in January, the 44-year-old was detained and subsequently sentenced for parole violations from a previous court case. Navalny has named the inability to get medical care inside the prison as the reason to go on hunger strike.