MOSCOW — A regional Russian court on Wednesday declared opposition leader Alexey Navalny guilty in a retrial of a 2013 embezzlement case, a felony conviction that may prevent the whistleblower from participating in Russia’s 2018 presidential elections. Navalny in December declared his intention to run in the 2018 elections, likely pitting him against Russian President Vladimir Putin or a successor candidate favoured by the Kremlin. A raft of fraud and embezzlement charges followed, leading to suspended sentences and periods of house arrest. He was first found guilty of embezzlement in 2013, where he was accused of abetting a scheme to siphon off money from a lumber sale. In November, Russia’s Supreme Court declared a retrial.

Source: National Post February 08, 2017 16:44 UTC