MOSCOW, April 29 (Itar-Tass) - The Moscow City Court on Monday upheld the extension of house arrest of Opposition activist, Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov, accused of planning riots in Russia.
"The court rules to uphold the Basmanny court's resolution to extend Udaltsov's measure of restraint to August 6, and turn down the defense's petition," the court said in a resolution.
Udaltsov is in his apartment in Zatonskaya Street. He is banned from leaving it or talking to anyone except lawyers and close relatives, and using any means of communication including phone and the Internet. He is accused of using violence on government representative during mass disturbances in Bolotnaya Square on May 6, 2012, and planning riots in the country.
The "Bolotnaya case" was opened after the sanctioned rally escalated to clashes with police. More than 400 people were detained, and some 30 police were injured.
Criminal proceedings over panning riots were instituted over the facts shown in the Anatomy of Protest-2 film, which featured a scene where the suspects were discussing the possibility to stage riots in Moscow and Russian regions.
The meeting, captured by a spycam, took place in Minsk, and involved chairman of the Georgian parliament's committee for defense and security Givi Targamadze, Georgia's consul in Moldova Mikhail Iashvili, their three aides, as well as Udaltsov, Konstantin Lebedev and Leonid Razvozzhayev.
The Left Front coordinator repeatedly denied riots plans and insisted on his innocence.
The Russian authorities put Targamadze on the Interpol wanted list, but Georgia flatly refused to extradite him.
Udaltsov's aide Razvozzhayev is in a remand prison, and another participant in the meeting with Targamadze - Konstantin Lebedev - pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.