Navalny alleges Russia 'imprisoning one to frighten millions' as court hands jail term

Protests emerged across Russia after a Moscow court handed Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny jail term for two and a half years on Tuesday. Navalny was charged for breaking his parole conditions while recovering from poisoning, and for denouncing  President Vladimir Putin as “Putin the poisoner.” In a ruling, the prosecutors sentenced the anti-corruption campaigner for violating probation terms from a 2014 money-laundering conviction in which he had received a suspended sentence of three and a half years. 

Navalny, on February 2, was handed a prison term, after the judge took into account the 11 months that he had spent under house arrest. Prosecutor General's office backed the motion alleging Navalny had engaged in "unlawful conduct" during the probation period. Condemning Tuesday’s ruling as politically motivated, the pro-pro-navally demonstrators flooded the streets of Moscow, in fresh rallies, denouncing the Russian government and demanding the immediate release of Putin’s opposition leader.

"Can you explain to me how else I was supposed to fulfill the terms of my probation and notify where I am?" Nvalny asked court, according to ANI's report.

He added, “Why are you sitting here and telling the court you didn’t know where I was? I fell into a coma, then I was in the ICU, then in rehabilitation. I contacted my lawyer to send you a notice. You had the address, my contact details. What else could I have done to inform you?” 

Read: Russian Prosecutors Seek Three-and-a-half-year Jail Term For Alexei Navalny

Read: Kremlin Foe Navalny Faces Court That May Jail Him For Years

[Servicemen of the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia) gather at the Red Square to prevent a protest rally in Moscow. Credit: AP]

[Russian soldiers stand toward the Palace Square a day before of Sunday's protest in St. Petersburg. Credit: AP]

Prosecution 'a weakness'

In a  Moscow courtroom, ahead of the ruling, Navalny berated Russian authorities for poisoning him and condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin of being responsible for his persecution —alleging that the Russian leader was imprisoning one to frighten millions, according to US broadcasters, that cited the court’s hearing. Furthermore, he called his prosecution “a weakness” and insisted that he will ensure that the rule of law prevailed in the country. According to his lawyer Olga Mikhailova’s statement, Navalny, who took the verdict bravely, plans to appeal it, she was quoted saying by reporters gathered just outside the courthouse. 

Navalny called the Russian President ""little thieving man in his bunker who doesn't want me to set foot on the ground in Russia", further adding, "The reason for this is the hatred and fear of one person who is hiding in the bunker. I've offended him so deeply by the fact that I've survived."

On Prosecutor's objection, Navalny said: "I don't need your objections."

"He [Puitn] can pretend he is this big politician, the world leader, but now my main offense to him is that he will go down in history as Putin the Poisoner. There was Alexander the Liberator and Yaroslav the Wise, and there will be Vladimir the Poisoner of Underpants. He is not engaging in geopolitics, he holds meetings on how to smear underwear with chemical weapons," Navalny added.

In a fresh stir of angst, citizens hit the streets once again calling for the crowd to gather for a demonstration Tuesday outside the Moscow court building. Russian law enforcement, according to the Associated Press report, gathered out in full force near the building, cordoning off the nearby streets and making random arbitrary detentions. earlier, the Moscow court had Moscow court had ordered Navalny’s wife to pay 20,000 rubles (about $265) penalty for violating protest regulations after she joined forces with demonstration in the Russian capital to demand her husband’s release. She was arrested with coercion and charged with participating in an unauthorized rally, according to Interfax news agency. This caused massive outpouring of discontent Russia against the police and Putin’s administration. 

[Russian Rosguardia (National Guard) soldiers stand blocking enter to the Palace Square. Credit: AP]

[In this handout photo taken from a footage provided by Moscow City Court, the wife of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, Yulia, in red, reacts attending a hearing to a motion. Credit: AP]

Read: More Navalny Supporters Detained Near Moscow Court

Read:  Court Fines Navalny's Wife After Protests In Moscow

(Image Credit: AP)