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Moscow Court Convicts 8 for Protest in 2012 Moscow Court Convicts 8 for Protest in 2012
(35 minutes later)
MOSCOW — A criminal court convicted eight people on Friday for their part in a violent protest ahead of President Vladimir V. Putin’s inauguration in 2012 after a prolonged trial that has become a symbol of the Kremlin’s stifling of political dissent.MOSCOW — A criminal court convicted eight people on Friday for their part in a violent protest ahead of President Vladimir V. Putin’s inauguration in 2012 after a prolonged trial that has become a symbol of the Kremlin’s stifling of political dissent.
Even before the court’s judge read the verdicts, the police detained dozens of people who had gathered outside the courthouse in central Moscow, mindful that the conviction could provoke new outrage and protests against Mr. Putin’s rule. The verdicts came against the backdrop of the political upheaval in Ukraine, which Mr. Putin’s critics here have watched with a mixture of surprise and envy.Even before the court’s judge read the verdicts, the police detained dozens of people who had gathered outside the courthouse in central Moscow, mindful that the conviction could provoke new outrage and protests against Mr. Putin’s rule. The verdicts came against the backdrop of the political upheaval in Ukraine, which Mr. Putin’s critics here have watched with a mixture of surprise and envy.
Those gathered outside — who included prominent anti-Putin figures like Aleksei A. Navalny and two members of the punk protest movement Pussy Riot — held or hung banners calling for acquittals, and they chanted “shame” as the police seized people and ushered them to waiting buses. By the time the judge, Natalya Nikishina, began reading the verdicts at least 50 had been detained, a number that continued to rise as she continued. Those gathered outside — who included prominent anti-Putin figures like Aleksei A. Navalny and two members of the punk protest movement Pussy Riot — held or hung banners calling for acquittals, and they chanted “shame” as the police seized people and ushered them to waiting buses. By the time the judge, Natalya Nikishina, began reading the verdicts, at least 50 had been detained, a number that continued to rise as she continued.
The eight convicted — seven men and one woman — were accused of assaulting police officers during a protest on May 6, 2012, the night before Mr. Putin’s return to the presidency for a third term after four years as prime minister and de facto leader of the country.The eight convicted — seven men and one woman — were accused of assaulting police officers during a protest on May 6, 2012, the night before Mr. Putin’s return to the presidency for a third term after four years as prime minister and de facto leader of the country.
Hundreds were arrested that night, but a small group of 29 faced the most serious charges of rioting and assault for throwing rocks or chunks of asphalt, though in many cases, their lawyers argued that the evidence of individual attacks on police remained murky. Hundreds were arrested that night, but a small group of 29 faced the most serious charges of rioting and assault for throwing rocks or chunks of asphalt, though in many cases, their lawyers argued that the evidence of individual attacks on police officers remained murky.
One of those convicted Friday, Yaroslav G. Belousov, was shown in a video throwing nothing more harmful than a lemon. The defendants could serve five to six years in prison.One of those convicted Friday, Yaroslav G. Belousov, was shown in a video throwing nothing more harmful than a lemon. The defendants could serve five to six years in prison.
The prosecution became known as the Bolotnaya case after the square across the Moscow River from the Kremlin where the protests and violence took place.The prosecution became known as the Bolotnaya case after the square across the Moscow River from the Kremlin where the protests and violence took place.
Along with the trial of Pussy Riot and the criminal charges against Mr. Navalny, who was convicted last year and then given a suspended sentence, the case reflect the hardening, conservative turn of Mr. Putin’s Kremlin over the last two years, which has succeeded in at least tempering the massive popular unrest that followed parliamentary elections in December 2011 and Mr. Putin’s re-election in March 2012. Along with the trial of Pussy Riot and the criminal charges against Mr. Navalny, who was convicted last year and then given a suspended sentence, the cases reflect the hardening, conservative turn of Mr. Putin’s Kremlin over the last two years, which has succeeded in at least tempering the popular unrest that followed parliamentary elections in December 2011 and Mr. Putin’s re-election in March 2012.
Within an hour, the judge suspended the reading of the verdict and announced that she would continue on Monday, announcing the sentences then. That means the final judgment will come after the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, which officials here presented as a symbol of a new, modern Russia. Within an hour, the judge suspended the reading of the verdict and announced that she would continue on Monday, announcing the sentences then. That means the final judgment will come after the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, which officials here have presented as a symbol of a new, modern Russia.
“We hope it will be a light sentence,” a lawyer for the defendants, Dmitri V. Agranovski, said after the suspension, noting that some of the defendants have already been in detention since their arrests. “We hope it will be a light sentence,” a lawyer for the defendants, Dmitri V. Agranovski, said after the suspension, noting that some of the defendants have been in detention since their arrests.