New charges against Vladimir Putin critic

The indictment, which was disclosed Wednesday by Russia's Investigative Committee, could add three years to the activist's prison sentence.

The committee said the Navilni organisation, the Foundation for Combating Corruption, urged the Russians of “to commit illegal acts”, prompting them to participate in the free January protests.

45-year-old Alexei Navilni is currently serving a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2014 of a takeover of funds. He was arrested in January when he was returning from Germany, where he was treated by health problems believed to be the result of a Kremlin attack with nervous agents. Russian authorities have dismissed these charges.

In June, the Navajo foundation was outlawed as “extremist organisation”. Authorities have blocked several media portals operated by his foundation, accusing them of spreading problematic propaganda. Two of Navilni's close allies, Ivan Zhudanov and Leonid Volkov, are currently under criminal investigation.

Navalani's allies say the attack by authorities is intended to weaken the opposition, while bringing near the 19 September parliamentary elections.