Navalny charged with setting up organization infringing on citizens' person, rights - Russian Investigative Committee
MOSCOW. Aug 11 (Interfax) - Opposition activist Alexei Navalny, who was convicted in the Yves Rocher case, is facing a new charge of setting up an organization that infringes upon the person and the rights of citizens, spokesperson for the Russian Investigative Committee Svetlana Petrenko said.
"Navalny established a non-profit organization which is designated a foreign agent - the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK, recognized as extremist and shut down in Russia by a Moscow City Court ruling)," Petrenko told reporters on Wednesday.
Since 2011, Navalny, together with his associates "Ivan Zhdanov, Leonid Volkov, and other persons, has led it," she said.
"The activities of the foundation were associated with inciting citizens to commit illegal acts. Navalny, Volkov, Zhdanov, and other persons organized the distribution of publications which contained calls for the participation of Russian citizens in unauthorized rallies in January of this year, on their personal webpages, and on the FBK pages on behalf of the non-profit organization headed by them," Petrenko said.
At the same time, "Navalny was reliably aware in advance of the illegal nature of the planned events in connection with the existing restrictions and without the authorities' permission to hold them," she said.
"Navalny realized that there is administrative liability for taking part in unauthorized rallies," Petrenko said.
Navalny "has been charged with committing this crime," she said.
Since mid-March, Navalny has been serving his sentence in the Yves Rocher case in Correctional Facility No. 2 of the Federal Penitentiary Service branch for the Vladimir Region near the town of Pokrov.