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Russian Opposition Leaders Get Jail Terms Russian Opposition Leaders Get Jail Terms
(6 months later)
MOSCOW — A municipal court on Tuesday jailed several Russian opposition leaders, including the activist and blogger Aleksei A. Navalny, for resisting arrest during a rally near the Kremlin that ended with more than 400 demonstrators detained by the police. MOSCOW — A municipal court on Tuesday jailed several Russian opposition leaders, including the activist and blogger Aleksei A. Navalny, for resisting arrest during a rally near the Kremlin that ended with more than 400 demonstrators detained by the police.
Monday evening’s protest, prompted by the sentencing of seven men and one woman who had been accused of attacking the police during a 2012 demonstration against President Vladimir V. Putin, was one of the largest that Moscow had seen in recent months and took place as the Russian government looked with apprehension toward Ukraine, where mass protests resulted in the fall of President Viktor F. Yanukovych last week.Monday evening’s protest, prompted by the sentencing of seven men and one woman who had been accused of attacking the police during a 2012 demonstration against President Vladimir V. Putin, was one of the largest that Moscow had seen in recent months and took place as the Russian government looked with apprehension toward Ukraine, where mass protests resulted in the fall of President Viktor F. Yanukovych last week.
Though Mr. Putin’s government freed several high-profile prisoners, including the former oil executive Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, in December shortly before the country hosted the Winter Olympics, the mass detentions on Monday and tough sentences raised worries that Russia would resume a crackdown on dissent now that the international spotlight had moved away.Though Mr. Putin’s government freed several high-profile prisoners, including the former oil executive Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, in December shortly before the country hosted the Winter Olympics, the mass detentions on Monday and tough sentences raised worries that Russia would resume a crackdown on dissent now that the international spotlight had moved away.
Four other opposition leaders, including Boris Y. Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister, received 10-day jail sentences on Tuesday. The stakes could be higher for Mr. Navalny, a longtime Putin critic, who was sentenced to seven days of administrative arrest. He is currently serving five years of a probation sentence for embezzlement that could be revoked and turned into actual jail time.Four other opposition leaders, including Boris Y. Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister, received 10-day jail sentences on Tuesday. The stakes could be higher for Mr. Navalny, a longtime Putin critic, who was sentenced to seven days of administrative arrest. He is currently serving five years of a probation sentence for embezzlement that could be revoked and turned into actual jail time.
“We all love Aleksei and don’t want anything to happen to him,” said Natalya Pelevena, 39, who was standing outside the courtroom waiting to give testimony as a witness in Mr. Navalny’s case.“We all love Aleksei and don’t want anything to happen to him,” said Natalya Pelevena, 39, who was standing outside the courtroom waiting to give testimony as a witness in Mr. Navalny’s case.
“This is very much 2012 all over again, as far as I’m concerned,” she added, referring to the huge police investigation and prosecutions that followed the protests against Mr. Putin that year and that have stifled dissent in Russia since.“This is very much 2012 all over again, as far as I’m concerned,” she added, referring to the huge police investigation and prosecutions that followed the protests against Mr. Putin that year and that have stifled dissent in Russia since.
Aleksey Krivoruchko, a court judge, ruled that Mr. Navalny shouted slogans and waved his arms as the police detained him on Monday evening.Aleksey Krivoruchko, a court judge, ruled that Mr. Navalny shouted slogans and waved his arms as the police detained him on Monday evening.
In a video of the arrest played in the courtroom, Mr. Navalny was encircled by riot police officers. As the crowd chanted, “Shame,” Mr. Navalny pointed at the men surrounding him. “I’m not yelling anything,” he said.In a video of the arrest played in the courtroom, Mr. Navalny was encircled by riot police officers. As the crowd chanted, “Shame,” Mr. Navalny pointed at the men surrounding him. “I’m not yelling anything,” he said.
Despite expecting to spend the next week or two in jail, many of those in the courthouse kept up irreverent chatter throughout their trials.Despite expecting to spend the next week or two in jail, many of those in the courthouse kept up irreverent chatter throughout their trials.
Mr. Navalny sent Twitter messages from the courtroom, making jokes about his case. Mr. Nemtsov, who strolled outside during a break in the proceedings, noted that the detention cells where he had been held the evening before had been renovated since his last time there.Mr. Navalny sent Twitter messages from the courtroom, making jokes about his case. Mr. Nemtsov, who strolled outside during a break in the proceedings, noted that the detention cells where he had been held the evening before had been renovated since his last time there.
“They asked me what I was doing there with Boris,” Dmitry Gudkov, an opposition member of Parliament who testified in Mr. Nemtsov’s case, said with a smile. “I told them that we were discussing our country’s great success at the Olympic Games in Sochi.”“They asked me what I was doing there with Boris,” Dmitry Gudkov, an opposition member of Parliament who testified in Mr. Nemtsov’s case, said with a smile. “I told them that we were discussing our country’s great success at the Olympic Games in Sochi.”
“We were standing there so peacefully,” he added.“We were standing there so peacefully,” he added.