US troubled by the Navalny verdict

The US government is concerned about the verdict on Alexey and Oleg Navalny, State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke said at a press conference.

"We are troubled by the verdicts against the Navalny brothers. The decision is a disturbing development in our view, and it appears to be designed to further punish and deter political activism ," Interfax quoted Rathke.

In addition, the US government "is also concerned about increasing restrictions on independent media, civil society, minority groups and the political opposition," the State Department spokesman said.

"We believe that the Russian people deserve a government that supports an open marketplace of ideas, transparent and accountable governance, equal treatment under the law, and the ability to exercise their rights without fear of retribution," he said.

On Tuesday morning Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky District Court announced the verdict to Alexey Navalny and his brother Oleg. They were found guilty in the  "Yves Rocher case" today. Alexey received a suspended jail term of 3.5 years in prison and has been sentenced to 3.5 years in prison. The court also fined each of them 500,000 rubles.