MOSCOW, October 31 - RAPSI, Gleb Kuznetsov. The convicts in the case on notorious mass riots on Manezh Square appealed their sentences, defense counsel Dmitry Agranovsky told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI) on Monday.

According to investigators, as many as 5,000 football fans and nationalists caused public disorder on December 11, 2010 in central Moscow after a rally to commemorate FC Spartak fan Yegor Sviridov, who was shot dead on December 6, 2010. Thirty-two people were injured in the riots.

Law enforcement authorities opened dozens of criminal proceedings against rioters. A separate case was opened over assaults on police officers.

Moscow's Tverskoy Court sentenced on Friday five riot participants from 2 to 5.5 years in prison.

The defense earlier said it would appeal the sentence, since it is groundless and too strict.