Russian opposition leader jailed on corruption charges, following protests

World Today

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is in jail, following the massive anti-corruption rallies he orchestrated across the country on Sunday. This is the biggest show of government defiance there in at least five years.

CGTN’s Daria Bondarchuk reports from Moscow.

A Moscow court ruled on Monday that Navalny was guilty of resisting police and violating the law on public rallies. The result would be 15 days in jail and a $350 fine.

Thousands of people took to the streets of Moscow, St. Petersburg and over 80 other Russian cities on Sunday to demand an investigation into alleged corruption by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Earlier this March, Navalny and his Anti-Corruption Fund published a report accusing Medvedev of buying luxurious property, vineyards and yachts in Russia and abroad with bribe money. Protesters demanded the government’s response to the video that got over 14 million views. Many demanded his resignation.

The march in Moscow was not sanctioned by the authorities. Hundreds were detained, including the opposition blogger. The Kremlin called the rally “a provocation” but pledged to listen to protesters’ concerns.

“The Kremlin respects people’s civic stance and their right to voice their position. We can’t express the same respect to those who consciously misled people and who consciously did it yesterday and provoked illegal actions,” Dmitry Peskov, Russian presidential spokesman said.

Medvedev’s spokeswoman earlier brushed aside what she called “propaganda insinuations,” saying Navalny’s material was aimed to promote his own presidential bid.

While Sunday turnout was large, some experts have said Navalny poses little real risk to the current government.