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| Russia: Alexei Navalny found guilty of embezzlement | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A Russian court has found Alexei Navalny guilty of embezzlement in a trial widely seen as a means of silencing the popular Russian opposition leader. | A Russian court has found Alexei Navalny guilty of embezzlement in a trial widely seen as a means of silencing the popular Russian opposition leader. |
| A judge in the provincial city of Kirov, 500 miles north-east of Moscow, found Navalny guilty of embezzling 16m roubles (£300,000) from a timber firm while advising the region's liberal governor in 2009. Prosecutors have asked the judge to give him six years in prison and a 1m rouble fine. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years. | A judge in the provincial city of Kirov, 500 miles north-east of Moscow, found Navalny guilty of embezzling 16m roubles (£300,000) from a timber firm while advising the region's liberal governor in 2009. Prosecutors have asked the judge to give him six years in prison and a 1m rouble fine. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years. |
| The trial is widely seen as a means of discrediting an opposition leader who has gained increasing support since Vladimir Putin returned to the Russian presidency against a backdrop of unprecedented protests last year. | The trial is widely seen as a means of discrediting an opposition leader who has gained increasing support since Vladimir Putin returned to the Russian presidency against a backdrop of unprecedented protests last year. |
| Navalny arrived in the provincial city by train on Thursday morning, backed by dozens of supporters. | Navalny arrived in the provincial city by train on Thursday morning, backed by dozens of supporters. |
| After building a career in opposition politics by focusing on exposing official corruption, Navalny said he would run for mayor of Moscow in snap elections called for September. In a move that surprised many, officials allowed him to register for the race last week, prompting speculation that he could be handed a suspended or delayed sentence. | After building a career in opposition politics by focusing on exposing official corruption, Navalny said he would run for mayor of Moscow in snap elections called for September. In a move that surprised many, officials allowed him to register for the race last week, prompting speculation that he could be handed a suspended or delayed sentence. |
| A conviction had been expected as less than 1% of Russian court cases end in not guilty verdicts. | A conviction had been expected as less than 1% of Russian court cases end in not guilty verdicts. |
| The sentencing will be keenly watched. His supporters have promised to gather outside the Kremlin's walls on Thursday evening. | The sentencing will be keenly watched. His supporters have promised to gather outside the Kremlin's walls on Thursday evening. |
| Navalny urged his supporters to keep courage and continue their fight in a blog on Wednesday. | Navalny urged his supporters to keep courage and continue their fight in a blog on Wednesday. |
| "We know what to do, we know how to do it," he wrote. "It's important to gather courage, fight laziness, and work." | "We know what to do, we know how to do it," he wrote. "It's important to gather courage, fight laziness, and work." |
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