MOSCOW, July 3 (RAPSI) – Moscow’s Simonovsky District Court on Friday recovered over 4.6 million rubles (over $65,000) jointly from organizers of the unauthorized opposition rally held on August 3, 2019, Lyubov Sobol and Georgy Alburov, in favor of the Moscow Main Directorate of the Interior Ministry, RAPSI reported from the courtroom.

The court granted the suit in part. Police demanded over 6 million rubles (over $85,000) from the opposition figures. According to the plaintiff, the said funds were spent for security upgrade during the illegal rally in central Moscow and purchase of combustive and lubricating materials for police.

The defendants objected to the claim believing that its amount is excessive and unproven.

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.