Russian Opposition Figure Alexei Navalny, Arrested

Russian Opposition Figure Alexei Navalny, Arrested

One of the most charismatic figures in Russian politics and a real leader of the opposition in the country, Alexei Navalny was sentenced by a court this Thursday to 5 years imprisonment for theft.

The move didn't go well with opposition supporters and protests soon broke out all across Moscow with thousands taking to the streets demanding the release of Navalny and accusing current president Vladimir Putin of showing his true colors as a dictator that rules through silencing his critics.

Navalny who was one of President Putin’s most consistent critics from as far back as 2000, told his supporters that they should not be idle while he is gone and to keep questioning the way the current government and president are running the country.

Navalny was accused of planning a scheme that would help him steal half a million dollars from a state owned timber firm.

The five year sentence was questioned by the Russian opposition and made the United States and European Union express their concern for the way the justice system is working in Russia.

The sentence is a major problem for Alexei Navalny because it basically puts an end to his political career before it began as Russian law prohibits citizens with a criminal record to run for state office.

Posted by James Fried on Friday July 19 2013, 7:56 AM EST. Ref: nypost. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0