MOSCOW, November 13. /TASS/. Bailiffs in Russia’s Kirov Region have launched a proceeding against Russian opposition activist and blogger Alexei Navalny, who has not paid a fine of 2.1 mln rubles ($31,015) in connection with the Kirovles embezzlement case, according to the database of the local branch of the Federal Bailiffs Service.
The proceeding was opened on November 9 based on the enforcement order issued by Moscow’s Nikulinsky District Court. The Federal Bailiffs Service has declined to comment on whether this was a reason for prohibiting Navalny from leaving the country. According to the database, there are three other proceedings against Navalny opened by Moscow bailiffs, in particular for failing to delete video clips.
Earlier on Tuesday, Navalny wrote on Twitter that he was barred from leaving Russia due to unknown reasons. The blogger was expected to fly to Strasbourg to hear the European Court of Human Rights’ decision on his case, but was stopped at the airport.
According to an official notification, which was published in Navalny’s blog, his travel ban is related to a decision by the Federal Bailiffs Service’s department. The blogger noted that he has no delinquent fines and last time he had left the country was nearly two weeks ago.
Navalny also said the bailiff, who is in charge of all proceedings against him, denied issuing a travel ban.
On December 30, 2014, Moscow’s Zamoskvoretsky Court found the Navalny brothers guilty of embezzling Yves Rocher's funds and sentenced Alexei Navalny to a suspended sentence of 3 years and 6 months, while Oleg Navalny was sentenced to 3 years 6 months in a general-security colony.
The court also ordered the Navalny brothers to pay over 4 million rubles ($65,000) in compensation under a lawsuit filed by the Multiprofile Processing Company recognized as the injured party in the embezzlement case. In addtion, the court slapped each brother with a 500,000-ruble fine ($8,300).
In mid-November 2016, the Russian Supreme Court’s presidium overturned this sentence and sent the case files for reconsideration to a Kirov court due to new circumstances. The Supreme Court launched checks in connection with the decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which found a violation of Navalny’s right to a fair trial. In February 2017, the court reviewed the Kirovles case and upheld the previous sentence against Navalny and businessman Pytr Ofitserov.