Russian corruption-fighter sentenced for corruption

Russian opponent activist, blogger and lawyer Aleksey Navalny, was sentenced to five years in prison for corruption, attracting world-wide interest. Navalny, labeled as the leader of the protests against Russian President Vladimir Putin, received 5 years imprisonment for being involved in corruption when he served as advisor to Kirov governor. Navalny's punishment attracted world wide attention as he is also candidate for Moscow mayor election due on September 8 from the RPR-Parnas party, known with its propaganda of struggle against bribe and corruption. Navalny believes the case is "political" On the other side Navalny said at the court, "If some people think that we would stop our activities because of the court, they are mistaken. My friends and I will do our best to break feodal structure down in Russia." Russian anti-Putin public opinion also supported Navalny during the judicial process. Navalny who refuted the decision and stated that he would appeal to the court, continues his political carreer by his election campaigns. Kirovles case Navalny is charged with "organization of the embezzlement of an exceptionally large amount of property", namely he was found guilty of masterminding the embezzlement at the Kirovles company. The Leninsky District Court of Kirov started to hear the criminal case on embezzlement from the Kirovles company on April 17. The prosecution claims that more than 10,000 cubic meters of timber were stolen from Kirovles between May and September 2009, inflicting damages of more than 16 million rubles on the Kirov region's administration. Navalny, who at that time served as an advisor to regional governor Nikita Belykh, is accused of organizing the alleged theft.