Russian Opposition Leader Navalny Sentenced to 20 Days in Prison

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was sentenced yesterday to 20 days in prison for organizing unauthorized protests, France's press reported, quoted by BTA.

This will temporarily suspend his campaign for the presidential election next year.

It is a gift for Putin's birthday, "said Navalny, referring to President Vladimir Putin, who celebrated 65 years on Saturday.

Navalny was detained on Friday for several hours at a time when he was preparing to protest in Nizhny Novgorod, 400 kilometers east of Moscow. During the weekend he attended similar meetings with sympathisers in Orenburg in Siberia and Arkhangelsk.

Nasvalny's last sentence dates back to June. It was for 25 days imprisoned for organizing a protest on June 12, banned by the authorities, but forced many young people to come to the streets of cities in Russia which ended up with hundreds of arrests. Previously, Navalny was sentenced to 15 days in prison for a protest on March 26th, also marked by hundreds of arrests.

In February, Navalny was convicted of diverting funds, and the central election commission announced in June that he could not run for presidential elections because of it. Navalny has nevertheless declared himself a candidate. Vladimir Putin has not yet formally submitted his candidacy. The vote will be in March next year.

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