A Moscow court has rejected an activist’s demand that the government pay him compensation for what he calls an illegal prosecution following his arrest for participating in an unsanctioned protest last summer.
The Tver District Court on March 3 rejected Sergei Abanichev's bid to receive 500,000 rubles ($7,500) as compensation for his August 5 arrest relating to a rally in the capital on July 27.
Abanichev, along with several other activists, was detained by authorities after he took part in the unsanctioned rally. The protest was part of a series of demonstrations by activists demanding that independent and opposition candidates be allowed to run in September 8 municipal elections.
Dozens of protesters were fined or given jail sentences for organizing and participating in the rallies.
Several were charged with taking part in "mass unrest" and allegedly assaulting police, with some of some of them being convicted and sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
On September 3, the charges of taking part in mass riots and assaulting law enforcement officers were dropped against Abanichev and four other activists -- Daniil Konon, Valery Kostenok, Vladislav Barabanov, and Dmitry Vasilyev.
On March 2, the Tver district court partially met Konon's demand for compensation and ordered the government to pay him 100,000 rubles ($1,500). Konon had sought 1.2 million rubles ($18,000).
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