Russian state prosecutors seek fine for Kremlin critic Navalny in slander case

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who is accused of slandering a Russian World War Two veteran, is seen inside a defendant dock during a court hearing in Moscow, Russia, Russia February 16, 2021, in this still image taken from video. Press Service of Babushkinsky District Court of Moscow/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MANDATORY CREDIT. THIS IMAGE WAS PROCESSED BY REUTERS TO ENHANCE QUALITY, AN UNPROCESSED VERSION HAS BEEN PROVIDED SEPARATELY.

Russian state prosecutors on Tuesday asked a court to fine Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny 950,000 roubles ($12,962) for slandering a World War Two veteran, a charge he calls politically motivated.

Navalny, President Vladimir Putin's most prominent critic, was jailed this month for almost three years for parole violations he said were trumped up. The West has condemned the case and is discussing possible sanctions on Russia.

In the slander case, Navalny stands accused of defaming the veteran who took part in a promotional video backing constitutional reforms last year that let Putin run for two more terms in the Kremlin after 2024 if he wants.

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who is accused of slandering a Russian World War Two veteran, gestures as he stands inside a defendant dock during a court hearing in Moscow, Russia, Russia February 16, 2021, in this still image taken from video. Press Service of Babushkinsky District Court of Moscow/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. MANDATORY CREDIT.

Navalny described the people in the video as traitors and corrupt lackeys.

Veterans of what Moscow calls the Great Patriotic War are revered by most Russians and criticism of them is regarded as socially unacceptable and insulting.

Navalny accuses authorities of using the slander charges to smear his reputation.

Law enforcement officers stand guard outside a court building before a hearing to consider the case against Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny for the suspected slander of a Russian World War Two veteran in Moscow, Russia February 16, 2021. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

It had been unclear before Tuesday whether state prosecutors would seek a custodial sentence in the slander case on top of a fine.

Navalny's arrest and jailing sparked nationwide street protests in Russia, but his allies say they have paused serious demonstrations until the spring.

Law enforcement officers stand guard outside a court building before a hearing to consider the case against Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny for the suspected slander of a Russian World War Two veteran in Moscow, Russia February 16, 2021. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

(Reporting by Polina Nikolskaya, Maxim Rodionov and Alexander Marrow; Editing by Andrew Osborn)

Law enforcement officers stand guard outside a court building before a hearing to consider the case against Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny for the suspected slander of a Russian World War Two veteran in Moscow, Russia February 16, 2021. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov