Russian Oppn leader jailed for 15 days

RUSSIAN OPPOSITION leader Alexei Navalny, who organised a wave of nationwide protests against government corruption that rattled authorities, was jailed for 15 days Monday by a Moscow court for resisting police orders. Navalny was arrested Sunday as he walked to a protest in Moscow and spent the night in jail before appearing in court.

Tens of thousands of anticorruption protesters took to the streets across Russia Sunday in the biggest show of defiance since 2011-2012 anti-government protests. Journalists and well-wishers Monday packed the courtroom in central Moscow where Navalny was taken. He posted a selfie on Twitter from the courtroom, saying: “A time will come when we’ll put them on trial too — and that time it will be fair.”

The 40-year-old Navalny has beentwiceconvictedonfraudand embezzlement charges that he has dismissed as politically motivated. Navalny, who is currently servingasuspendedsentence,has also recently announced his bid forthepresidencyinrussia’s2018 election.

Sunday’s protests included demonstrations in the areas that typically produce a high vote for President Vladimir Putin, from the far western city of Chita in Siberia to southern Dagestan’s capital of Makhachkala.

Russian police say about 500 people were arrested in the protests Sunday, but a human rights group published a list of detainees that has more than 1,000 names.

The Kremlin has blamed the protest organisers for putting lives at risk by inviting people to unsanctioned demonstrations. Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov chided the organisers for inciting illegal acts. “The Kremlin respects people’s civic stance and their right to voice their position,” he said. “We can’t express the same respect to those who consciously misled people.”

Peskov also claimed that underage protesters were promised cash if they were arrested. AP

Reuters Alexei Navalny at a court in Moscow, Monday.