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Navalny’s defense team to reappeal embezzlement verdict in European Court of Human Rights

On Wednesday, the Kirov Regional Court upheld the verdict against Russian opposition activist Alexey Navalny

KIROV, May 3. /TASS/. Defense attorneys for Russian opposition activist Alexey Navalny and businessman Pyotr Ofitserov who were again found guilty in the Kirovles embezzlement case will reappeal the ruling by Kirov’s Leninsky Court to the European Court of Human Rights, the businessman’s attorney Svetlana Davydova informed TASS on Wednesday.

"We will once again file a complaint with the ECHR, requesting to nullify the verdict and halt the criminal prosecution of Navalny and Ofitserov," she said, adding that the complaint would be filed bypassing Russia’s Supreme Court.

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Meanwhile, Secretary of the Russian Central Election Commission Maya Grishina noted earlier in the day commenting on the prospects for Navalny’s participation in the presidential campaign that individuals convicted of felonies lose the right to run in an election.

"Irrespective of any individual, Russian citizens have no right to be elected, if they were convicted of felonies and have convictions for the above-mentioned crimes on election day that have not been expunged," Grishina explained.

On Wednesday, the Kirov Regional Court upheld the verdict against Russian opposition activist Alexey Navalny and businessman Pyotr Ofitserov who received suspended sentences in the Kirovles embezzlement case, with the verdict entering into force.

Alexey Navalny was convicted under Part 4 of Section 160 of the Russian Criminal Code ("misappropriation and embezzlement"), which stipulates a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and is classified as a felony.

Navalny earlier said, however, that he saw no legal obstacles to his participation in the Russian presidential election in March 2018, as "the Russian Constitution expressly states that those held in custody cannot take part in the elections," whereas he got a suspended sentence. He noted that he was determined to appeal the provision of the law to Russia’s Constitutional Court, which prohibits him from running for Russian president because of his suspended sentence for the felonies in question.

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Alexey Navalny Russia's domestic policy

Military operation in Ukraine

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

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