{"id":292240,"date":"2017-02-08T15:06:31","date_gmt":"2017-02-08T15:06:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=292240"},"modified":"2017-02-08T15:06:31","modified_gmt":"2017-02-08T15:06:31","slug":"russian-opposition-leader-handed-5-year-suspended-sentence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/02\/russian-opposition-leader-handed-5-year-suspended-sentence\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian opposition leader handed 5-year suspended sentence"},"content":{"rendered":"
Russia’s main opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, has been found guilty of embezzlement and handed a five-year suspended sentence. It bars him from running for president next year against Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n
But Mr. Navalny has vowed to take part in the race regardless. He denies the charges and says he will appeal against the verdict.
\nHis conviction came in a retrial after the European Court of Human Rights ruled the first trial to be unfair.<\/p>\n
Reacting to the sentence, Mr Navalny said: “We don’t recognise this ruling. I have every right to take part in the election according to the constitution and I will do so.”<\/p>\n
The outspoken critic of President Putin also said the sentence in the case, which he claims is politically motivated, was a sign that the Kremlin considered him to be too dangerous.<\/p>\n
In addition to the suspended sentence, he and a co-defendant were both handed a 500,000 rouble ($8,500; \u00a36,700) fine.<\/p>\n
Who is he?<\/strong><\/p>\n