- Title: Putin critic Navalny fined for canvassing violations
- Date: 3rd August 2017
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (AUGUST 3, 2017) (REUTERS) OPPOSITION LEADER ALEXEI NAVALNY WALKING THROUGH GATES OF SIMONOVSKY DISTRICT COURT OF MOSCOW NAVALNY ENTERING COURT BUILDING FLAG ALEXEI NAVALNY SEATED IN COURT WAITING FOR SESSION TO START CLOSE OF LAPTOP WITH NAVALNY CAMPAIGN STICKER NAVALNY MEDIA VARIOUS OF NAVALNY IN COURT COURT OFFICER STANDING AT DOOR NAVALNY AND LAWYER STANDING AS JUDGE OFF CAMERA READS SENTENCE NAVALNY OFFICER NAVALNY AND LAWYER STANDING AS JUDGE OFF CAMERA SAYS NAVALNY TO BE FINED 300,000 ROUBLES FOR VIOLATING CANVASSING LAWS MEDIA NAVALNY LISTENING AS JUDGE OFF CAMERA ENDS READING SENTENCE / NAVALNY POINTS AT HER AND SAYS (Russian): "I will later subtract this money from your salary." NAVALNY WALKING AWAY FROM COURT BUILDING MEDIA NAVALNY SPEAKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) OPPOSITION LEADER, ALEXEI NAVALNY, SAYING: "They fine, we will continue our campaign, they steal our leaflets, we will continue our campaign, they close our headquarters, we will continue our campaign, they arrest us and we will still continue our campaign, simply because we are right. The truth is on our side and this absolutely cowardly position of the authorities is once again showing that the truth is on our side. There is nothing for them to object and so they stage these courts for themselves. All these fines, we will later subtract from the salary that these judges are getting while in jail. Thank you very much." REPORTERS ASKING: WILL YOU APPEAL? "Well of course we are going to appeal." NAVALNY WALKING OFF
- Embargoed: 17th August 2017 22:06
- Keywords: Russia court opposition figure Alexei Navalny fined
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA0016SLTFEV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was fined 300,000 roubles ($5,000) by a Russian court on Thursday (August 3) for violating canvassing laws ahead of Russia's 2018 presidential elections.
Navalny has organised two big anti-government street protests in recent months and says he wants to run for the Russian presidency in March next year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to announce his candidacy, but is widely expected to do so, and win.
Navalny said police came to his home on Thursday morning and he was taken to court and charged with violating election canvassing rules by calling for people to participate in unsanctioned rallies via videos on his YouTube channel.
Russia's Central Election Commission has said Navalny is ineligible to participate in the election due to an embezzlement conviction, a charge the anti-corruption campaigner says was politically motivated.
His campaign has come under repeated pressure from authorities and protesters.
Two of Navalny's campaign staff, Leonid Volkov and Nikolai Lyaskin, were also fined 300,000 roubles and 250,000 roubles respectively on Thursday. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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