Updated at 11:36 a.m.
A Russian activist with ties to Yale University has received a suspended sentence on fraud charges. Alexei Navalny has become a prominent political opposition leader in Russia, leading protests over the years against President Vladimir Putin.
According to the Associated Press, thousands of protestors took to the streets outside the Kremlin in response to the conviction. Navalny was subsequently arrested for breaking the terms of his house arrest and joining the protestors.
After breaking house arrest, @navalny quickly nabbed by police, tossed in truck http://t.co/p5xKYLVKxy pic.twitter.com/on3Ap2VCDd Pic @antonb_ru
— Christopher Miller (@ChristopherJM) December 30, 2014
Our original report continues:
Navalny has faced a number of criminal prosecutions that are seen by his supporters as a response to his political activism.
In 2010, Navalny spent several months in New Haven as part of a global leadership training program called Yale World Fellows.
This latest verdict against him was scheduled to be announced next month, but the court session was abruptly moved forward, leading to speculation that authorities wanted to stop possible protests if he were convicted. The decision comes as Russians are preparing for New Year's and Orthodox Christmas.
Navalny and his brother Oleg were both found guilty of defrauding a cosmetics company. Though Navalny's sentence was suspended, in a surprise move, his brother's was not. Oleg Navalny is to be jailed for three-and-a-half years.
Information from the Associated Press included in this report.
