Moscow court fines Lyubov Sobol 250,000 rubles for inciting protests in support of Navalny

On Friday, January 22, a Moscow Court fined anti-corruption activist Lyubov Sobol 250,000 rubles (about $3,340) for inciting protests in support of jailed opposition figure Alexey Navalny.

Sobol, who works for Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK), was found guilty of repeated violations of the rules for conducting public events (she was convicted under article 20.2, section 8 of the Russian Administrative Code). 

Law enforcement officers arrested Sobol on January 22; she was released about five hours later.

Rallies opposing Alexey Navalny’s detention are set to take place across Russia on January 23. Ahead of the planned protests, law enforcement officials arrested a number of Navalny’s closest associates, including his press secretary Kira Yarmysh, FBK lawyer Vladlen Los, and FBK employee Georgy Alburov.

On Friday, Moscow courts jailed Kira Yarmysh for nine days, Vladlen Los for three days, and Georgy Alburov for 10 days.