MOSCOW, August 22 (RAPSI) – Moscow’s Koptevsky District Court will begin hearing a 1.2-million-ruble (over $18,000) lawsuit filed by the city’s public transport authority (Mosgortrans) against organizers of unauthorized rallies on September 10, RAPSI reports from the courtroom on Thursday.
According to Moscow’s public transport authority, on July 27, an unauthorized rally led to the public transport traffic delay and truck detention time.
Defendants are Alexey Navalny, Ilya Yashin, Ivan Zhdanov, Yulia Galyamina, Georgy Alburov, Lyubov Sobol and two other persons.
Another similar lawsuit against the opposition figures was filed by the state-financed entity Autoroads. The organization seeks to recover 11.5 million rubles (over $175,000) from them. The plaintiff claims that suffered damages in connection with providing peacekeeping.
Unauthorized rallies in support of candidates seeking to become lawmakers of the Moscow State Duma but refused registration by the Election Commission were held on July 27 and August 3 in central Moscow. Over 1,000 people were arrested for various violations as a result.
After 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 opposition figures including Alexey Navalny, Dmitry Gudkov, Ilya Yashin were arrested and put in detention for alleged organization of an unauthorized rally.