By jailing opposition leader Navalny, Putin has silenced a leader and messenger.

No one will be surprised at today’s guilty verdict against the Russian political opposition leader Alexei Navalny – it is the culmination of a criminal prosecution brought for political reasons with a preordained conclusion. Still, the sentence is shocking.

Mr. Navalny, 37, was found guilty of embezzlement and handed a five-year prison sentence and a 500,000 ruble ($15,500 U.S.) fine. His co-defendant, Piotr Ofitserov, was sentenced to four years.

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