Political oppression in Russia. At least the courts didn't hand down the severest penalties.

The company in question brought no charges against the brothers. The international community should respond what appears to be oppression of political activists. This is outrageous. It appears Russia can simply drum up charges to oppression political freedom.

MOSCOW, November 7 (RAPSI) - Christian Melnik, Financial Director of the cosmetics company Yves Rocher Vostok, (click here) said in court on Friday that the company has no claims against opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his brother Oleg, according to Navalny’s Twitter account.

The Zamoskvoretsky District Court on Friday continued questioning witnesses in the Yves Rocher embezzlement case.

Alexei Navalny is a Russian political and public figure, leader of the Party of Progress. He ran for Moscow mayor and is the author of one of the most popular political blogs that was banned for promoting unauthorized public protests.

Navalny and his brother Oleg stand accused in a fraud case involving cosmetics company Yves Rocher Vostok. Investigators allege that the Navalny brothers embezzled up to 26 million rubles (about $575,500) from the cosmetics company, as well as close to 4 million rubles ($88,500) from the Multidisciplinary Processing Company by way of a fraud scheme. The brothers were further charged with having laundered 21 million rubles ($464,752)....

Russia is making martyrs of their political activists when they pose are real threat. Martyrs and their oppression never go away. Their oppression only brings more attention to political freedom and the desire for a large part of Russia to enjoy it. Political activists are rarely discredited in the views of their supporters.

December 30, 2014

By Isabel Gorst

...“This time (click here) the authorities are not simply trying to humiliate and imprison their political opponents,” he told reporters after the hearing. They are specially trying to humiliate and torment the relatives of the people who are their political opponents.”...

To be completely honest, the sentences by the court seem to indicate they are protesting the draconian government in Moscow as well.

...The court had planned to rule in the current case after Russia celebrated the New Year holidays, but in a surprise move, the hearing was abruptly moved to Tuesday after thousands of Navalny’s supporters pledged to stage a protest in Moscow on Jan. 15.

“By moving up the verdict, the Russian authorities apparently sought to diminish planned demonstrations,” Human Rights Watch said in a statement Tuesday. “They also pushed those planning to protest a guilty verdict to the margins of the law, by denying them enough time to comply with local regulations” requiring police approval for large public gatherings....

The Russian Duma acted to allow a third term by President Putin, it isn't as though he has problems staying in office. When political activists become political prisoners that only indicts the government and adds proof and fuel to the opposition. This is really bad judgement by the Russian government. The way to defeat political activists is to actually win elections. The process of winning elections is all to easy when a candidate as the command of large sums of campaign funds, as example is the USA. This entire imprisonment 'thing' that happens to opposition candidates is completely silly.