Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny has been sentenced to about 2.5 years in prison, officially for violating parole while he recovered in Germany from an assassination attempt.
Driving the news: A 3.5-year suspended sentence dating from 2014 — stemming from charges that were widely seen as politically motivated — was turned into a prison term, minus the 10 months Navalny previously spent under house arrest. His arrest last month upon his return to Russia sparked widespread protests over the past two weekends.
- Navalny addressed the court before his sentence was announced on Tuesday, describing the charges against him as completely fabricated and motivated by "the fear of the man in the bunker" — Vladimir Putin.
- Navalny made his name as a video blogger and anti-corruption activist, ultimately becoming perhaps the biggest thorn in Putin's side.
- Even after Navalny's arrest, his organization released a viral video two weeks ago accusing Putin of controlling a "billion dollar palace."
The latest: Navalny made a heart-shaped hand gesture toward his wife Yulia as his sentence was read out.
- His organization has called for immediate protests near the Kremlin in Moscow.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
