Russia's top opposition leader Alexei Navalny has
called for mass protests to "destroy" President Vladimir Putin's regime
after a court handed him a suspended sentence and jailed his brother in a
controversial fraud case.
At a hearing that was abruptly brought forward by two weeks, a Moscow
judge on Tuesday found both Navalny and his brother Oleg guilty of
embezzlement and sentenced them to three and a half years in what is
widely seen as a politically motivated case.
But while Navalny's sentence was suspended, his younger brother, who
is not involved in politics, was ordered to serve the time behind bars
in what observers saw as an attempt to muzzle the Kremlin critic ahead
of the 2018 presidential election by taking his brother hostage.
Being subjected of a suspended sentence also means Navalny will not be able to run for office.
"This regime does not just destroy its political opponents... now
they target, torture and torment the relatives of its political
opponents," the 38-year-old Navalny said outside court, calling the
verdict "the most mean and disgusting" possible.
"This regime has no right to exist, it must be destroyed," he said. "I call on everyone to take to the streets today."
Navalny's supporters plan to gather near the Kremlin from 1600 GMT
and by midday, 18,000 people had pledged on Facebook to attend.
The protest has not received the required authorisation from city
hall, which ominously warned that "all unsanctioned actions will be
prevented by the security forces".
Trucks carrying police were seen in central Moscow and news agencies
reported that exits from the metro to Manezhnaya square, the location of
the planned rally, will be closed after 1500 GMT.
'Disgrace'
Navalny has become a major thorn in the Kremlin's side over the last
few years, first building a massive support base on the Internet as an
anti-corruption blogger, then rallying tens of thousands during the
2011-12 anti-Putin protests. He also came second in last year's Moscow
mayoral race after a grassroots campaign against the Kremlin-backed
candidate.
The Navalny brothers were accused of defrauding French cosmetics
company Yves Rocher of nearly 27 million rubles (more than half a
million dollars at the exchange rate at the time), although the firm has
said that it suffered no damages.
Prosecutors had asked the court to jail Navalny for 10 years and Oleg for eight.
Tuesday's hearing was brought forward two weeks in a move seen as a
tactic to avoid massive protests and make it impossible to request
authorisation for rallies.
The session took only about 15 minutes, unusual for Russia where judges usually read sentences for hours.
"What are you jailing him for, what sort of disgrace is this? This is
to punish me even more?" Navalny yelled, slamming his fists on the
table, as the judge announced that his 31-year-old brother, a father of
two young children, would be jailed.
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