Moscow City Court Suspends Proceedings in Mizulina's Lawsuit Against Navalny, Lebedev, and Dud

The Moscow City Court has suspended production on the defamation lawsuit filed by State Duma Deputy Elena Mizulina against Alexei Navalny, Alexander Lebedev, and Yuri Dud.

The suspension was granted at the request of Mizulina's lawyers, who argued that the case should be heard by a different court. The lawyers cited the fact that Navalny and Lebedev are currently in detention and that Dud lives in Estonia, which would make it difficult for them to participate in the proceedings.

The court agreed to the request and suspended the proceedings for two months. During this time, the lawyers will have to file a motion to transfer the case to another court.

Mizulina filed the lawsuit in December 2021, alleging that Navalny, Lebedev, and Dud had defamed her in a series of public statements. The statements in question were made in the context of the 2021 Russian parliamentary elections, in which Mizulina was a candidate.

Navalny, Lebedev, and Dud have denied the allegations and have vowed to fight the lawsuit.

The suspension of the proceedings is a significant development in the case.

If the court ultimately agrees to transfer the case to another court, it could significantly delay the proceedings and make it more difficult for Mizulina to win her case. Even if the case is ultimately dismissed, the mere fact that Mizulina has filed a lawsuit against Navalny, Lebedev, and Dud is likely to have a chilling effect on free speech in Russia.