RUSSIA: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny attends his trial in Kirov, says his case should be returned to the prosecutor

Record ID: 858863

  • Title: RUSSIA: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny attends his trial in Kirov, says his case should be returned to the prosecutor
  • Date: 24th April 2013
  • Summary: KIROV, RUSSIA (APRIL 24, 2013) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF COURTHOUSE POLICE OUTSIDE COURTHOUSE PEOPLE OUTSIDE COURTHOUSE RUSSIAN FLAG SIGN AT ENTRANCE DOOR RUSSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER ALEXEI NAVALNY WALKING INTO COURTROOM COURT STAFF NAVALNY SEATED, SEEN FROM BEHIND VARIOUS OF JUDGE SPEAKING NAVALNY SEATED MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN OPPOSITION LEADER ALEXEI NAVALNY, SAYING: "We have filed the most important petition to return the case to the prosecutor, because the prosecution submission in its current state can't withstand any criticism and it cannot be a part of this trial in principle. It contains such profound defects that this prosecution submission cannot be heard in this trial. So we demanded to return the case to the prosecutor so the prosecutor could decide whether to close this case or to ask investigators to remove those deficiencies and so on." EMPTY JUDGE SEAT MEDIA NAVALNY LEAVING COURTROOM
  • Embargoed: 9th May 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • City:
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAECDOECAM3HNNE61PW318T5TH4
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Russian protest leader Alexei Navalny arrived in court on Wednesday (April 24) to go on trial on theft charges which he says are politically motivated and part of a clampdown on dissent by Vladimir Putin, adding that the case should be returned to the prosecutor.
    Navalny spoke to journalists who gathered at the courthouse on Wednesday after last week's hearing was adjourned.

    "We have filed the most important petition to return the case to the prosecutor, because the prosecution submission in its current state can't withstand any criticism and it cannot be a part of this trial in principle. It contains such profound defects that this prosecution submission cannot be heard in this trial. So we demanded to return the case to the prosecutor so the prosecutor could decide whether to close this case or to ask investigators to remove those deficiencies and so on," Navalny said.
    The trial started last week but the judge adjourned proceedings until April 24 to give the defence more time to prepare its case.
    Navalny could face up to 10 years in jail if convicted of stealing 16 million roubles ($510,000) from Kirovles, a timber firm in Kirov that he was advising in 2009 while working for the liberal regional governor.
    The most prominent opposition leader to be tried in post-Soviet Russia, Navalny has suggested Putin ordered the trial to sideline him as a potential presidential rival.
    The Kremlin sees little risk in making an example of Navalny to discourage dissent because conservative voters in the provinces - Putin's traditional support base - are either indifferent or likely to welcome a jail sentence for Navalny.
    A recent opinion poll indicated about 37 percent of Russians know who Navalny is, a sharp increase in the past two years, but only 14 percent would vote for him in a presidential election.
    It is the fourth criminal case opened against Navalny in recent months.
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