Navalny's Absence at Court Hearing Sparks Controversy

Alexei Navalny, the jailed Kremlin critic, refused to attend his court hearing after prison authorities confiscated his writing tools, preventing him from communicating with the outside world. Navalny's act of disobedience comes after three of his former and current lawyers were detained on extremism charges. He has been using letters passed through his lawyers to update the public on his experiences since being imprisoned. Navalny is set to be moved to a "special regime" colony, limiting his contact with lawyers and family.