MOSCOW, September 15 (RAPSI, Diana Gutsul) – Russian opposition leader Sergey Udaltsov, who was sentenced to four and a half years in jail for organizing the 2012 riots in central Moscow, filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights, his lawyer, Dmitry Agranovsky, told RAPSI on Tuesday.

“Our major complaint in the Udaltsov case is that he was barred from attending his trial for a week, which is a gross violation of his rights. We’ve asked the court to give priority to our application,” Agranovsky said.

He also said earlier this year that an application on behalf of Udaltsov had been filed with the ECHR over his detainment, placement under house arrest and the subsequent restraint on his freedom during the investigation into 2012 mass protests. 

Over 400 people were arrested and scores were injured in the authorized Bolotnaya Square protest that turned violent in May 2012. Dozens were later charged with inciting mass riots and battery against law enforcement officers.

Leonid Razvozzhayev and Sergei Udaltsov were sentenced to 4.5 years in prison each on charges of organizing mass protests. 

Other defendants in the case received prison terms ranging from suspended sentences to four years. Several defendants were pardoned; one is undergoing compulsory mental treatment.

As with the Razvozzhayev case, Udaltsov’s lawyers are objecting to the inhuman treatment of their client in court and during his transfer and transportation, an unfair trial, and infringements on his rights to defense and the freedom of expression and assembly.