Israeli Citizen Sentenced to Prison in Russia for Tiny Donation to Navalny's Foundation

A Moscow court has sentenced Sofia Rosenfeld, a 50-year-old Russian scientist with Israeli citizenship, to three and a half years in a penal colony. The sentence, handed down last Wednesday, stems from a donation of 2,000 rubles (approximately 100 NIS) to the Anti-Corruption Foundation, established by prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Rosenfeld's family in Israel is working for her release and seeking the Israeli government's intervention.

Navalny, known for his anti-corruption investigations into high-ranking Russian officials, founded the Anti-Corruption Foundation in 2011. The foundation published exposés on the wealth of government figures and their associates. Donations were seen as support for Navalny's anti-corruption efforts and his political challenge to President Vladimir Putin's government. In 2021, Russian authorities declared the foundation an extremist organization, banning its activities and subsequently prosecuting individuals who had donated to it.

Rosenfeld, who holds a doctorate in biology and is a leading researcher on Arctic birds at the Russian Academy of Sciences, was arrested at her Moscow home last December, shortly after visiting family in Israel. Her friend, Alexandra, who lives in Israel, stated that Rosenfeld stopped donating after the foundation was outlawed in 2021, managing to cancel her support only upon returning from an expedition. "This is a criminal sentence. She would not have supported the foundation if she knew it could endanger her," Alexandra said.

Rosenfeld's sentencing is part of a broader crackdown by Russian authorities on perceived dissent, targeting tens of thousands who have shown support for Navalny. Opposition analysts suggest the aim is to deter public engagement in any political activity critical of the government, especially amid declining support for the war in Ukraine. According to opposition news outlets, around 220 sentences have been issued related to donations to the foundation, with approximately 24 resulting in prison terms ranging from four months to four years. Many of these donations were small, and some individuals were minors at the time of their contributions. The majority of these rulings have occurred in the past two years, primarily in major cities, though prosecutions have occurred nationwide. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has not yet responded.