MOSCOW, August 18 (RAPSI) - Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky District Court on Monday found four opposition activists guilty of participating in Moscow's 2012 riots, using violence against law enforcement officers and sentenced them to terms ranging from 39 to 42 months, RAPSI reports from the courtroom.
The court sentenced opposition activists Alexei Gaskarov and Alexander Margolin to 3.5 years in prison each. Ilya Guschin was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison. Yelena Kokhtareva received a 39-month suspended sentence.
Over 400 people were arrested and scores injured in the Bolotnaya Square protest that turned violent in May 2012. Dozens were later charged with inciting mass riots and using violence against law enforcement officers.
On February 24, Moscow’s Zamoskvoretsky District Court sentenced eight activists to prison terms of three to four years in prison for participation in the riots.
Ten suspects were pardoned pursuant to a broad amnesty spearheaded by Russian President Vladimir Putin in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the Russian constitution at the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014.
Moreover, protester Maxim Luzyanin, who had pleaded guilty for his role in the riots, was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison in 2012. Another defendant Mikhail Kosenko in 2013 was sentenced to compulsory psychiatric treatment. In early June, the Chekhov City Court of the Moscow Region released Kosenko from a mental hospital to continue treatment in an outpatient clinic.
On July 24, the Moscow City Court sentenced Left Front leader Sergei Udaltsov and Razvozzhayev to 4.5 years each. According to prosecutors, Udaltsov and Razvozzhayev organized riots on Bolotnaya Square in May 2012 and planned to hold similar rallies in other Russia’s regions.