Russian authorities convict anti-war politician and arrest blogger

Russian authorities have intensified their crackdown on domestic opposition, convicting anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin of displaying "extremist symbols" and arresting prominent blogger Ilya Remeslo on charges of spreading false information about the military. The actions effectively bar Nadezhdin from running in September's parliamentary elections and silence another government critic.

Nadezhdin's Conviction

Boris Nadezhdin, a former MP who gained prominence during a failed 2024 presidential bid on a pro-peace platform, was found guilty of displaying an image of the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny in a 2023 online interview. The court imposed a fine of 1,000 rubles ($13) Source: AP News. The conviction, combined with his recent designation as a "foreign agent," prevents him from collecting signatures to appear on the ballot for the State Duma elections Source: BBC. Nadezhdin denounced the charges as absurd and said authorities aimed to silence him Source: AP News. He has indicated he will appeal Source: Moscow Times.

Arrest of Ilya Remeslo

Separately, blogger Ilya Remeslo, a former Putin supporter who recently turned critic, was arrested in St. Petersburg and remanded in pre-trial detention for two months on suspicion of spreading false information about the Russian military Source: BBC. Remeslo had called Putin a "war criminal and thief" in March 2026, after which he was placed in a psychiatric clinic Source: AP News. His lawyer confirmed he was taken to Moscow for a court hearing Source: BBC.