Prosecutors demand 6 years in jail for Russian opposition figure

Prosecutors in the Russian city of Kirov have demanded 6 years in prison for opposition figure Alexey Navalny, who was previously nominated as a candidate in the coming Moscow mayoral elections by the opposition People's Freedom Party.

Prosecutors say that Navalny caused financial damage to the Kirov-based Vyatskaya Timber Company, when he served as aide to Kirov Governor Nikita Belykh.

Belykh, together with another of his former aides Maria Gaidar, daughter of the Russian market economy's founding father Yegor Gaidar, testified in court saying that Navalny is totally innocent.

Navalny himself denies all the charges and says that the case is politically motivated. The same opinion has been expressed by international watchdogs, such as Amnesty International.