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Protest leader Navalny's corruption case verdict due Russian protest leader Alexei Navalny convicted
(about 5 hours later)
A court in Russia is due to deliver a verdict in the high-profile corruption trial of protest leader Alexei Navalny. Russian protest leader Alexei Navalny has been found guilty of embezzlement, in a trial he claims is politically motivated.
Prosecutors are calling for a six-year jail term on charges of defrauding a timber firm of 16m roubles (£300,000; $500,000) - a claim he denies. Judge Sergei Blinov said the anti-corruption campaigner had defrauded a timber firm.
If convicted, he may not be able to contest September's mayoral elections in Moscow, despite being accepted as a candidate on Wednesday. Navalny has always denied the claim, insisting he was brought to trial because of his opposition to President Vladimir Putin.
He would also have to miss the next presidential poll in 2018. The verdict means he may not be able to run for Moscow mayor in September.
Alexei Navalny arrived at the courtroom in Kirov to hear the verdict, after a 12-hour overnight train journey from Moscow.
The BBC's Daniel Sandford said Navalny smiled in a resigned manner when the almost inevitable guilty verdict came.
The key question now, our correspondent says, is whether Judge Blinov will give the full six year prison sentence for which the prosecution have asked.
The judge is expected to hand down a sentence later on Thursday.
'Crooks and thieves''Crooks and thieves'
The court in the city of Kirov, about 900km (550 miles) north-east of Moscow, is expected to start delivering the verdict at 09:00 local time (05:00 GMT).
Mr Navalny, 37, is accused of defrauding the Kirovles state timber company while working as an adviser to Kirov's governor Nikita Belykh.Mr Navalny, 37, is accused of defrauding the Kirovles state timber company while working as an adviser to Kirov's governor Nikita Belykh.
During the trial, the prosecutors stopped short of demanding the maximum term of 10 years.During the trial, the prosecutors stopped short of demanding the maximum term of 10 years.
In his closing remarks earlier this month, Mr Navalny was unrepentant, saying the case had been fabricated to remove him from politics.In his closing remarks earlier this month, Mr Navalny was unrepentant, saying the case had been fabricated to remove him from politics.
"We will destroy this feudal society that is robbing all of us," he raged."We will destroy this feudal society that is robbing all of us," he raged.
"If somebody thought that on hearing the threat of six years in prison I was going to run away abroad or hide somewhere, they were mistaken. I cannot run away from who I am.""If somebody thought that on hearing the threat of six years in prison I was going to run away abroad or hide somewhere, they were mistaken. I cannot run away from who I am."
Mr Navalny has inspired mass protests against the Kremlin and President Vladimir Putin in December 2011, and recently declared he would like to stand for president.Mr Navalny has inspired mass protests against the Kremlin and President Vladimir Putin in December 2011, and recently declared he would like to stand for president.
For several years he has been a thorn in the side of the political establishment, campaigning against the endemic corruption, the BBC's Daniel Sandford in Moscow reports.For several years he has been a thorn in the side of the political establishment, campaigning against the endemic corruption, the BBC's Daniel Sandford in Moscow reports.
Mr Navalny has also coined a phrase to describe the ruling party United Russia that has stuck in everyone's minds - "the party of crooks and thieves".Mr Navalny has also coined a phrase to describe the ruling party United Russia that has stuck in everyone's minds - "the party of crooks and thieves".