MOSCOW, November 30 - RAPSI. A separate criminal case has been launched against 12 defendants in the Moscow May riots case, Investigative Committee spokesperson Vladimir Markin said on Friday.

"The investigators have initiated a separate criminal case against 12 defendants, as evidence confirming their guilt has already been gathered," he said.

An officially sanctioned opposition march across Moscow led to clashes with the police on May 6. Dozens of protesters and police officers were injured. The police detained over 400 rally participants.

After May 6, the opposition continued its protests in the form of "people's promenades," wherein crowds of opposition activists walked peacefully together through the city in a show of opposition.

In June, investigators searched the homes of the rally organizers and participants, including those of Alexei Navalny, Sergei Udaltsov, Ilya Yashin, and Boris Nemtsov.

A total of 16 individuals are on remand.