Alexei Navalny, Russian opposition activist, gets 5-year suspended sentence

A Russian court on Wednesday handed a five-year suspended sentence to prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny after finding him guilty of embezzlement, a move that will complicate his plans to run for president against Vladimir Putin in 2018.

Navalny, one of Putin's harshest critics,said he would appeal the sentence and take part in the presidential race regardless.

"We don't recognize this ruling," said Navalny. "I have every right to takepart in the election according to the Constitution, and I will doso."

Susan Ormiston reflects on her conversation with Alexei Navalny last week

8 years ago

Duration 2:14

Susan Ormiston reflects on her conversation with Alexei Navalny last week

The court also fined Navalny 500,000 roubles ($8,400 US) after finding him guilty on embezzlement charges going back to 2012.

Judge Alexei Vtyurinhanded down his 100-page decision and the sentence during awebcastretrial of Navalnyin Kirov, 800 kilometres northeast of Moscow.

Navalny was first brought to trial in 2013 on the same charges and given a suspended sentence. That year, he ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Moscow.

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He haslong argued this is a case ofpolitical prosecution meant to prevent him from running for president of Russia.

Navalny appealed his first conviction to the European Human Rights Court, which ruled last year that his rights to a fair trial had been violated. The Russian Supreme Court then dumped Navalny's sentence but ordered a new trial.

Last week in Kirov, he told CBC, "There are no ifs of course they will find me guilty."

Russia's Interfax news agency reported that a guilty verdict technically disqualifies Navalny from running in the election set for March 2018.

Navalnywill appeal the decision,his campaign director told CBC News. With a year to go before the presidential election, his supporters have said they're determined to help him run for office.

Navalny, the driving force behind massive anti-government protests in 2011 and 2012, had announced plans to run for office in December and had begun to raise funds.

Putin has notyet said whether he will seek a fourth term in office.

It's not the end of the Navalny story

8 years ago

Duration 1:34

Susan Ormiston explains why it's not the end of the Navalny story during a Facebook Live from an upscale market in Moscow on Wednesday