A Russian court has handed prison sentences to three lawyers who represented the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny, accusing them of being involved in an extremist group.

Igor Sergunin, Alexei Liptser, and Vadim Kobzev were arrested in October 2023 and were added to an official 'terrorists and extremists' list the following month.

The court imposed sentences of 3.5, 5, and 5.5 years on them, respectively, after a closed trial in the Vladimir region.

These sentences have been condemned by human rights organizations and foreign governments, including the United States, which labeled the convictions as an attack on legal representation for political detainees.

The lawyers were accused of helping Navalny continue his political work from prison, a charge criticized as politically driven.

Alexei Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, referred to the three as 'political prisoners' and demanded their immediate release.

The human rights organization OVD-Info claimed that the case marks a serious increase in repression against dissent defenders under President Vladimir Putin's regime.

Even after being imprisoned, Navalny, who passed away in February 2024, continued to voice opposition against the government through his lawyers and legal maneuvers, including lawsuits over his prison treatment.

Critics view the prosecution of his lawyers as part of a wider suppression campaign against Kremlin adversaries.

The Kremlin has not commented on this specific case, but authorities have previously described Navalny and his supporters as destabilizing forces backed by Western interests.