MOSCOW: A Russian court on Tuesday imposed sweeping bans on Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), its director said, as Russia inches towards shutting down the jailed opposition figure’s movement.

FBK director Ivan Zhdanov said on Twitter that the court had banned the FBK from posting content on the internet, using state media, organising protests, participating in elections and using bank deposits.

The bans came as the court considers whether to designate the FBK and Navalny’s national network of regional offices as extremist organisations, putting them on par with the militant Islamic State group and Al Qaeda and banning them in Russia.

Earlier on Tuesday the Moscow city court’s press service told reporters a judge had agreed to a “ban on certain activities” for the FBK without clarifying what they were as the case is being heard behind closed doors.

The bans follow a ruling on Monday ordering Navalny’s regional offices to stop working while the court decided on the request for the designation.

Navalny’s team on Monday had taken a dim view of the court decision against his regional offices. The FBK called the move a “huge blow” and the offices said they would stop their operations immediately to protect their employees and supporters.

They promised however to continue fighting corruption, the ruling United Russia party and Putin “in a personal capacity”. But the team took on a fighting stance on Tuesday.

Zhdanov said that the bans would not affect the FBK’s work, while the group tweeted that it had heard it was “banned again”.

“Yesterday they banned us and they will completely ban us again the day after tomorrow,” the FBK said.

“Therefore we have important information for you to keep in mind at this time,” the group added. “Putin is a thief and a murderer. United Russia is a party of crooks and thieves.”

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2021