MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. Member of the Russian Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights Shota Gorgadze thinks that blogger Alexey Navalny demeans the court with his behavior.
"His behavior is simply demeaning to the court. He’s smiling, drawing hearts. It’s a show for him. Some kind of lawyer he is, Alexey Navalny," he wrote on his Telegram channel on Tuesday.
"The behavior of Alexey Navalny in court yet again confirms to me that he observes no rules. I am a lawyer with 20 years of experience who sometimes is even recognized in court, yet if I allow myself to address a judge not as "Your Honor" or "the esteemed court," but, for example, using a full name, I will get reprimanded at once. And at the slightest hint of disrespect I can get removed from the court of law and the Bar Association will receive a complaint about my behavior in court," he added.
On Tuesday, Moscow’s justice court did not send to the Investigative Committee materials of Navalny’s libel case with insulting remarks made by the defendant about the complainant, the prosecutor and the judge. "[I hereby decree] to consider a request of the state prosecution to be premature, to leave it without consideration. The evaluation of this request will be included in the final decision on the case," judge Vera Akimova decreed.
The request to send the materials for inspection was submitted by prosecutor’s aide Ekaterina Frolova. Navalny, in his turn, stated that he is witnessing "the birth of yet another illegitimate case against" himself. During the two previous court sessions Navalny received about 20 reprimands from the judge for inappropriate questions and offensive behavior.
Thus, Navalny accused the grandson of the complainant of "selling his grandpa," suspecting him of seeking material gain. The complainant himself was declared as having age-related dementia. The state prosecutor and the judge were accused of lack of independence with their decisions being pre-arranged and influenced by external forces.
Navalny has been charged with the crime under part 2, Article 128.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (slander). Under this article he faces a punishment of a fine or mandatory works. According to the prosecution, on June 2, Navalny uploaded a video to a Telegram channel and a Twitter page in which World War II veteran Ignat Artyomenko expressed his civic position supporting amendments to the Constitution. Navalny made "wittingly false comments harmful to the veteran’s honor and dignity and undermining his reputation." Navalny does not recognize his guilt. Earlier, the court suspended proceedings on the case but resumed them after Navalny’s return to Russia.
Earlier, it was reported that Moscow’s justice court had scheduled Navalny’s last statement on the libel case for February 20. Earlier, the prosecutor had asked the court to find Navalny guilty of slander and to fine him 950,000 rubles (over $12,000). The defense insists on an acquittal.