MOSCOW, November 18 (RAPSI) – The Moscow City Court on Monday upheld detention of a participant of the unauthorized 27 July rally Egor Lesnykh, accused of assault on a National Guard officer, RAPSI reported from the courtroom.

Earlier, the Basmanny District Court placed Lesnykh in detention until December 14.

According to investigators, on July 27, Lesnykh and one more defendant Maxim Martintsov acting as a group attacked a National Guard officer and knocked him to the ground. Moreover, Lesnykh allegedly kicked another law enforcement officer.

The both men pleaded not guilty.

Investigation into Lesnykh has been already completed. The case has been transferred to the Meshchansky District Court of Moscow for consideration. The preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 19.

Protest actions began in Moscow in mid-July after election commissions denied registration of certain opposition members as candidates for the Moscow City Duma elections reasoning that documents submitted by them contained numerous violations.

The first unauthorized rally took place hear the Moscow City Election Commission’s building on July 14 and looked like a provocation, according to law experts.

Unauthorized rallies in support of candidates seeking to become lawmakers of the Moscow State Duma but refused registration by the Election Commission were also held on July 27 and August 3 in central Moscow. Over 1,000 people were arrested for various violations as a result.

Following the 27 July rally, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case over mass riots. Investigators believe that the protest action was held with the use of force against representatives of authority.

Several persons have already been convicted and sentenced to prison.