18 Jul 2013 14:08

Memorial human rights center recognizes Navalny as political prisoner

MOSCOW. July 18 (Interfax) - Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who got a five year prison term on Thursday, is a political prisoner, Memorial human rights center head Alexander Cherkasov said.

"We call the verdict political because of the authorities' political motives and because of selectiveness and violations of procedure during the investigation. Navalny and Ofitserov are political prisoners," Cherkasov said.

The Leninsky District Court in Kirov sentenced Navalny to five years in prison. The other defendant in the Kirovles case, Pyotr Ofitserov, received a four-year sentence.