MOSCOW, December 31 (RAPSI) – Opposition activist Alexei Navalny who received on Tuesday suspended sentence of 3.5 years in the Yves Rocher embezzlement case has filed a claim challenging his house arrest, Navalny’s lawyer, Vadim Kobzev, wrote on Twitter.

Navalny's brother Oleg was also imlicated in the case. He was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison, fined 500,000 rubles (about $8,600).

The brothers were also ordered to pay out 4.4 million rubles (about $76,000) to the Multidisciplinary Processing Company which claimed damage.

After the sentencing hearing Oleg Navalny was taken to Butyrka pretrial detention center.

Alexei joined his supporters in the central Moscow who protested against the verdict on Navalny brothers. Up to 1,500 people gathered on Manezhnaya Square not far from the Kremlin, according to Moscow police.

About 100 protesters were reportedly detained along with Alexei Navalny as the gathering should have been authorised by Moscow officials in accordance with the law.

Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky District Court ruled that Alexei Navalny would remain under house arrest until the ruling takes effect. On December 19, the court extended until February 15 his house arrest.

The Navalny brothers vow to appeal against the sentence. Their defense lawyers anticipate to receive judge's sentencing remarks in full by January 12 when the New Year holidays in Russia are over.