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Judge Dmitrijus Balašovas did not agree with the appeal against the sentence announced on February 2 that in a case brought against A. Navalns, the probation sentence imposed in 2014 should be imposed with an actual prison sentence.
“It has been decided not to satisfy the appeals of the lawyers,” the court said.
The judge decided to include in the sentence the detention of six weeks in the house of A. Navalnas, for which he will be sent to a correctional colony for just over two and a half years. Furthermore, since his crime is not considered serious, A. Navalnas will have the right to request his early release in one month.
Navaln, a 44-year-old anti-corruption activist and a prominent figure in President Vladimir Putin’s opposition, was arrested on January 17 after arriving at a Moscow airport in Germany, where he was being treated with Novičiok, a substance that paralyzes the nerves afterward. of poisoning last summer. He blames the Kremlin and the Federal Security Service (FSB) for this poisoning.
Standing in the defendant’s glass cage, A. Navalnas smiled, saluted, and held up his two fingers as a symbol of victory.
“I have no excuses”
In his closing speech, Navaln said he did not regret his decision to return to Russia.
“The Bible says:” Blessed are those who hunger and long for justice; they will be satisfied, “he told the court.” I do not regret having returned … I am pleased not to have violated this precept at a difficult time. “
He also cited books on Harry Potter and the characters from the animated comedy Rick and Morty, urging the Russian people to resist government pressure and urging the Kremlin to build a more just and prosperous society.
“The government’s goal is to intimidate him and then convince him that he is alone.” Our Voldemort in his palace also wants me to feel separated, “Navalnas said, referring to President Vladimir Putin.
“Living means taking risks always and everything,” he continued. “Otherwise, you’re just a slow bunch of randomly attached molecules flying downstream in the Universe.”
Navaln called his imprisonment “absurd” and urged the Russian people to improve their country.
“Russia must not only be free, but also happy,” he stressed.
He told the judge and prosecutors that their lives in a changed Russia would be much better.
“I want to tell you, the prosecutor and all the people: it is important not to be afraid of people who want to know the truth. Think for yourself: how good would your life be without these lies, without this lie! ”- said A. Navalnas.
At the time, prosecutors said Navaln was behaving as if he was above the law and had the “exclusive right to act as appropriate.”
Earlier, opposition defenders told the Interfax news agency that they would continue to do everything possible to get Navaln released and that they would go to the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers for breach of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). .
On Saturday, A. Navalnas will be brought to another court hearing in another trial, where he is accused of defaming a 94-year-old war veteran. In his Twitter message, A. Navaln called him a “traitor” when the veteran appeared in a pro-Kremlin video advertising amendments to the Constitution.
Prosecutors are demanding 950,000 be assigned to A. Navalns. rubles (10.6 thousand euros) fine. They also want the probation sentence imposed in 2014 to be replaced by a real custodial sentence, as A. Navalnas’ message was published before the end of his probationary period.
Navaln and his supporters say the latest court rulings and various other lawsuits against him are just a pretext to halt his anti-corruption investigations and undermine his political ambitions.
The West is pressuring A. Navalna to release
During the last court hearing on the defamation of the veteran, A. Navalnas asked the judge if she could not recommend a recipe for pickles, because “it makes no sense to discuss legal issues with you.”
Russia has been pressured in recent weeks by Western countries to release Navalna.
After the poisoning in August, the opposition was dealt with in Germany for several months. Russia has repeatedly claimed that it has nothing to do with the incident.
Navaln’s arrest upon his return to Russia sparked mass protests across the country, during which more than 10,000 people were arrested. people. The European Union has warned that it could announce new sanctions on Moscow.
The ECHR announced this week that Russia must release Navalna immediately, but the Russian Justice Ministry immediately rejected the request.
Navaln’s imprisonment has exacerbated the crisis in Moscow’s relations with the West, which has continued since the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
EU foreign ministers considering new sanctions on Russia plan to meet with two top comrades of A. Navaln in Brussels on Sunday.
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