A Moscow court sentenced a Russian opposition leader Tuesday to 18 months of restricted freedom over her role in organizing last winter's mass pro-Alexey Navalny protests, the Associated Press reports.<\/p>\n
Why it matters: Lyubov Sobol's sentencing is part of a wider crackdown by the Russian government on Navalny's allies, several of whom are slated to stand trial on the same charges as Sobol, Reuters reports.<\/p>\n
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The big picture: The court found Sobol guilty of inciting people to break coronavirus restrictions by calling on people to come out and protest, per AP.<\/p>\n
For a year and a half, Sobol will be banned from leaving her apartment between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. and attending mass events. She will also be required to check in with police three times a month, AP reports.<\/p>\n
Sobol is one of Navalny's closest allies and has worked with him since 2011. She was previously a lawyer for his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), which was banned as an \"extremist organization\" by the government this past April.<\/p>\n
Sobol has called the charge \"politically-motivated nonsense,\" per Reuters.<\/p>\n
She was placed under house arrest six months ago, leaving the possibility that her sentence could last only a year, according to her lawyer, per AP.<\/p>\n
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Opposition ally sentenced to 18 months of restricted freedom over pro-Navalny protests - Yahoo News<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A Moscow court sentenced a Russian opposition leader Tuesday to 18 months of restricted freedom over her role in organizing last winter's mass pro-Alexey Navalny protests, the Associated Press reports. Continue reading