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Moscow Court Gives Jail Time to 9 Participants in Nemtsov March

A man waves Russian national flag during a march to commemorate Kremlin critic Boris Nemtsov, who was shot dead on Friday night, in central Moscow on Mar. 1, 2015. Maxim Zmeyev / Reuters

A Moscow City Court has handed down jail sentences of up to 15 days to nine people detained during a march in Moscow in memory of opposition leader Boris Nemtsov who was shot and killed near the Kremlin last week.

The defendants were found guilty of disobeying police orders and some were also charged with exhibiting "banned symbols" during Sunday's march in honor of Nemtsov, Ekho Moskvy reported Tuesday.

Evidence put forward in court included a flag featuring Nazi symbols that some of the demonstrators had supposedly carried during the rally of mourning, though organizers denied the allegation, activists who attended the hearing said on Twitter.

Nine participants in the rally received sentences ranging from 8 to 15 days in jail and fines of up to 3,000 rubles ($48), Media Zona news portal reported.

Another woman was also slapped with a $48-fine, but avoided spending time behind bars after the court allowed her to stay at home to take care of her 12-year-old son, the report said. The woman's husband was also among the defendants, and was sentenced to eight days in jail, Media Zona reported.

More than 50 people were detained during Sunday's march in honor of Nemtsov in Moscow, according to the City Hall.

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