News Digest

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny given suspended sentence, brother jailed

A Russian court ruled on Tuesday to give Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny a suspended sentence for embezzling money but jailed his brother for three and a half years in a case seen as part of a campaign to stifle dissent. Navalny led mass protests against President Vladimir Putin three years ago, when tens of thousands took to the streets in Moscow and St Petersburg to protest against corruption in Putin’s government and inner circle. The Navalny brothers were accused of stealing 30 million rubles, or around $500,000 under the current exchange rate, from two firms, including an affiliate of the French cosmetics company Yves Rocher, between 2008 and 2012.

Aren’t you ashamed of what you are doing? Why are you putting him (my brother Oleg) in prison? To punish me even harder?

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to the judge

Tuesday’s ruling will come as a relief for Navalny’s supporters after prosecutors asked that he be imprisoned for 10 years. It was not immediately clear why the court chose the shorter term or why it was suspended, but that could reflect official concern about the prospect of unrest. The Kremlin denies allegations that it uses the courts to persecute opponents. Currently under house arrest, Alexei Navalny is serving another suspended five-year jail term for a separate conviction last year, which critics have also called a sham. His supporters have promised to hold a protest on the Manezh Square in front of the Kremlin on Tuesday evening.