The trial on embezzlement charges of one of Russia's
leading opposition figures, Alexei Navalny, has resumed
Mr Navalny is accused of involvement in the
misappropriation of 16m roubles (£300,000; $500,000) from a state timber firm
he advised while working for the governor of the Kirov region
The 36 year old, who is known for his blogs denouncing
President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party as corrupt, could face up to 10
years in prison.
He has called the charges "absurd".
In a recent interview with the BBC, Mr Navalny accused
Mr Putin of personally ordering his prosecution in an effort to discredit him.
"If you put an anti-corruption activist into
prison for participating in a political protest, it will only help his
publicity," he said. "But if you say that he is corrupt..."
New case
Mr Navalny's trial in the city of Kirov, about 900km
(560 miles) north-east of Moscow, began a week ago but was quickly adjourned
after his lawyers said they needed more time to read the case files.
The trial resumed on Wednesday but was twice adjourned
as the judge withdrew to consider requests by the defence to send the case back
to prosecutors, citing violations by the investigators.
Aside from the embezzlement charges, three other
criminal cases have been opened against Mr Navalny.
Last Thursday, the federal Investigative Committee
announced that he and his brother were suspected of organising a 3.8m-rouble
(£79,000; $121,000) fraud involving mail deliveries in 2008.
A spokeswoman for the activist said the latest
allegations were the authorities' "reaction to the massive public support
that we're receiving".
Mr Navalny is the most high-profile opposition figure
to be tried since anti-Putin protests 16 months ago, which saw the biggest
demonstrations in Moscow since the fall of the USSR.
Since Mr Putin's re-election in March 2011, legal
action against opposition figures has increased markedly. Tough laws have been
passed on public order offences and tight curbs placed on non-governmental
organisations.
Analysts say Mr Navalny's conviction would be a major
blow to an opposition which for years suffered the lack of a central figure or
platform.
Sources : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-22276174
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