MOSCOW, April 14 (RAPSI) – Russian prosecutors called on Tuesday for Georgy Alburov, an associate of the opposition stalwart Alexei Navalny, be given a three-year suspended sentence for stealing a painting, RIA Novosti reported on Tuesday from the Oktyabrsky District Court  in Vladimir.

Alburov’s guilt has been proved by witness testimony and other evidence, prosecutor Stepan Volodin said during the hearing.

The defense asked the court to acquit Alburov who pleaded not guilty.

The painting, “Bad and Good Man,” belongs to an artist who resides in Vladimir, a city about 200 kilometers east of Moscow. It was on public display when it was stolen by unknown persons, according to investigators.

The painting was found in Navalny’s apartment in the summer of 2014. Navalny refused to testify in this case.

Alburov was charged with theft and placed under restriction notice in September 2014. In November, another associate of Navalny, Nikita Kulachenkov, was charged in this case in absentia.

Alexei Navalny is a Russian political and public figure, leader of the Party of Progress. He ran for Moscow mayor and is the author of one of the most popular political blogs that was banned for promoting unauthorized public protests. He has already been given two suspended sentences for embezzlement – five years in the Kirovles case and 3.5 years in the recent Yves Rocher Vostok case.