Israeli-Russian scientist sentenced to 3½ years for tiny Navalny donation

Sofia Rosenfeld, a 50-year-old senior researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences and holder of Israeli citizenship, received a three-and-a-half-year jail sentence from Moscow’s Gagarinsky District Court for allegedly financing an extremist organization. Prosecutors cited two 1,000-ruble transfers made in 2021 to Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, which was later declared illegal while Rosenfeld was on a research mission in the Arctic and thus unaware of the change.

After returning to Moscow, she cancelled the standing order, but the payments had already been processed. The case lay dormant for four years before authorities revived it in late 2025, leading to her immediate imprisonment after the October 7 verdict. Her father, Boris Rosenfeld, expressed shock, noting she had hoped for a fine or community service, and raised concerns about possible anti-Israeli sentiment or diplomatic leverage. Israeli officials say they are seeking consular access, while monitoring groups report hundreds of similar sentences for Navalny-related donations.