Russia Jails Kremlin Critic Navalny For 3.5 Years; Hundreds Detained
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
(Worthy News) – A Moscow court has sentenced Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny to 3 ½ years as the Kremlin defied Western calls for his release.
The ruling came after Russian police detained more than 200 supporters near the Moscow City Court building. Protesters already expressed fear that the outspoken Kremlin critic could face years imprisonment on what they view as trumped-up charges of embezzlement.
Russia’s prominent Kremlin critic appeared somewhat tired but briefly smiled behind his cage window in the courtroom.
Prosecutors said he breached parole conditions of his suspended sentence from a 2014 money laundering conviction. He has rejected the charges as politically motivated. But Russia’s penitentiary service asked to turn his three and a half years suspended jail term into one that he must serve behind bars.
The 44-year old married father of two was detained January 17 after returning from Germany, where he spent nearly five months recovering from a suspected Novichok nerve agent attack. The next day, a Moscow court sentenced him to 30 days preliminary detention ahead of Tuesday’s procedures.
While the court hearing was underway, supporters gathered outside to protest his detention and what they view as President Vladimir Putin’s failed policies.
It wasn’t easy to demonstrate with police out in force cordoning off the nearby streets and making random arrests. Monitors said more than 230 people were detained for participating in the unauthorized rally.
BREAKING PROTESTS
Riot police also broke up protests across Russia on Sunday in support of Kremlin critic Navalny. They detained more than 5,000 people, including his wife, who braved the bitter cold and the threat of prosecution to demand he be set free.
Speaking in court Tuesday, Navalny attributed his arrest to what he said was Putin’s “fear and hatred.”
Navalny claimed the Russian president was upset that he, an opposition leader, survived an assassination attempt.
Putin has denied involvement in the nerve agent poisoning. The Russian leader also distanced himself from Navalny allegations made in a viral video that he owns a near 1.4 billion dollar palace on the Black Sea.
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