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Court Rules Russian Opposition Leaders Guilty in Bolotnaya Mass Riots

Opposition leaders Sergei Udaltsov (front R) and Leonid Razvozhayev (back, 2nd L) attend a court hearing in Moscow July 24, 2014. Maxim Shemetov / Reuters

A Moscow court on Thursday found Russian opposition leaders Sergei Udaltsov and Leonid Razvozhayev guilty of inciting mass riots against President Vladimir Putin.

Udaltsov, who has been under house arrest since February 2013, and Razvozhayev were accused of coordinating the so-called Bolotnaya protests in Moscow which turned violent on May 6, 2012, the eve of Putin's inauguration for a third term as president.

The two men denied organising mass riots and also a charge of plotting wider unrest. The state prosecution has called for eight-year jail terms for both of them and they were expected to be sentenced later on Thursday.

More updates soon.

See also:

Prosecutors Seek 8-Year Prison Term for Russian Protest Leader Udaltsov


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