MOSCOW, January 21 - RAPSI. The Moscow City Court on Monday rejected the appeal filed by opposition activist Leonid Razvozzhayev's attorneys against the extension of his detention.

This decision supported the ruling of the Basmanny court, which sanctioned his arrest in October 2012 and extended his detention until April 1, 2013.

The defendant's lawyers claimed the decision to extend his time in custody was against both Russian and international laws.

Razvozzhayev, one of the suspects accused of organizing mass unrest, has said that he is seriously ill and that his condition is worsening in prison and threatens to develop into a disability.

He added that he was also suffering from severe psychological stress, stemming from the alleged torture he underwent in prison. He believes the decision to keep him in custody is a form of pressure and is wholly related to his outspoken political views.

He revealed that he feared for his health, and even his life, saying he had certain "indirect reasons" to be afraid. A representative of the prosecutors, in turn, asked the court to uphold the extension of his arrest and to reject his lawyers' appeal.

Razvozzhayev, along with other Russian opposition figures, is involved in the case on planning mass riots which was initiated after the "Anatomy of Protest 2" film was shown on NTV channel.

The filmmakers claimed that the opposition was preparing a coup financed from abroad.

In addition, cases against Razvozzhayev were opened over robbery and his illegal crossing of the Russian-Ukrainian border.