This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22172224
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny goes on trial | Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny goes on trial |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| One of Russia's leading opposition figures, Alexei Navalny, has gone on trial for embezzlement. | |
| Federal investigators in Moscow brought the charges over a timber deal in the Kirov region in which he was involved as an unofficial adviser in 2009. | Federal investigators in Moscow brought the charges over a timber deal in the Kirov region in which he was involved as an unofficial adviser in 2009. |
| The 36-year-old faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. | The 36-year-old faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. |
| Mr Navalny is known for his blogs alleging corruption among the elite, and denouncing President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party as crooks. | Mr Navalny is known for his blogs alleging corruption among the elite, and denouncing President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party as crooks. |
| 'Fabricated' | 'Fabricated' |
| Mr Navalny's trial began at 09:10 local time (05:10 GMT) at the Leninsky court in the remote city of Kirov, 900km (550 miles) north-east of Moscow. | |
| He is accused of involvement in the misappropriation of 16m roubles (£300,000; $500,000) from a timber firm he was advising in 2009 while working as an adviser to Kirov's governor, Nikita Belykh. | He is accused of involvement in the misappropriation of 16m roubles (£300,000; $500,000) from a timber firm he was advising in 2009 while working as an adviser to Kirov's governor, Nikita Belykh. |
| Almost immediately, the defence asked the judge for the trial to be adjourned, arguing that his lawyers had not had enough time to prepare the case. | |
| Mr Navalny is the most high-profile opposition figure to be tried since anti-Putin protests 16 months ago, which saw the biggest demonstrations in Moscow since the fall of the USSR. | Mr Navalny is the most high-profile opposition figure to be tried since anti-Putin protests 16 months ago, which saw the biggest demonstrations in Moscow since the fall of the USSR. |
| Since Mr Putin's re-election last March, legal action against opposition figures has increased markedly. Tough laws have been passed on public order offences and tight curbs placed on non-governmental organisations. | Since Mr Putin's re-election last March, legal action against opposition figures has increased markedly. Tough laws have been passed on public order offences and tight curbs placed on non-governmental organisations. |
| Mr Navalny has accused Mr Putin of personally ordering the case against him and has called the charges "absurd". | Mr Navalny has accused Mr Putin of personally ordering the case against him and has called the charges "absurd". |
| In a recent interview with the BBC's Daniel Sandford, Mr Navalny said the charges were "blatantly fabricated". | In a recent interview with the BBC's Daniel Sandford, Mr Navalny said the charges were "blatantly fabricated". |
| But he said it was important for the Kremlin to bring this case against him in order to try to discredit him. | But he said it was important for the Kremlin to bring this case against him in order to try to discredit him. |
| "If you put an anti-corruption activist into prison for participating in a political protest, it will only help his publicity. But if you say that he is corrupt…" | "If you put an anti-corruption activist into prison for participating in a political protest, it will only help his publicity. But if you say that he is corrupt…" |
| Analysts say his conviction would be a major blow to an opposition which for years suffered the lack of a central figure or platform. | Analysts say his conviction would be a major blow to an opposition which for years suffered the lack of a central figure or platform. |
| Distancing Mr Putin from the case, his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that the leader would not be following it. | Distancing Mr Putin from the case, his spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that the leader would not be following it. |