June 19, 2013

Russian activist charged with plotting riots

BY: AP Staff Writer OCTOBER 23, 2012 | MODIFIED: OCTOBER 23, 2012 AT 9:32 AM
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Photo -   This undated photo shows Leonid Razvozzhayev speaking in an undisclosed location and is provided by the Assocoated Press Television News on Monday, Oct. 22, 2012. Russia’s top investigative agency announced Monday that government opponent Razvozzhayev turned himself in and confessed to orchestrating riots, but the man and his supporters said he was kidnapped abroad, smuggled back to Russia and then tortured into confessing. The Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement that Leonid Razvozzhayev admitted to plotting with leftist leaders Sergei Udaltsov and Konstantin Lebedev, and taking funding from a Georgian lawmaker. (AP Photo/APTN)
This undated photo shows Leonid Razvozzhayev speaking in an undisclosed location and is provided by the Assocoated Press Television News on Monday, Oct. 22, 2012. Russia’s top investigative agency announced Monday that government opponent Razvozzhayev turned himself in and confessed to orchestrating riots, but the man and his supporters said he was kidnapped abroad, smuggled back to Russia and then tortured into confessing. The Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement that Leonid Razvozzhayev admitted to plotting with leftist leaders Sergei Udaltsov and Konstantin Lebedev, and taking funding from a Georgian lawmaker. (AP Photo/APTN)
< p>MOSCOW (AP) — Russian investigators say they have charged an opposition activist with plotting riots based on evidence from a Kremlin-friendly TV documentary.

Investigators earlier said Leonid Razvozzhayev turned himself in and confessed to orchestrating riots. His supporters insist he was kidnapped abroad, smuggled back to Russia and tortured into confessing. A video published on a news website showed Razvozzhayev shout to reporters about this, but investigators deny the allegations.

Russia's Investigative Committee on Tuesday formally brought charges against Razvozzhayev, who now faces up to 10 years in prison. The opposition activist's supporters have been picketing the investigators' office for several days in protest.

Authorities also are pursuing criminal cases against Sergei Udaltsov and Konstantin Lebedev, relying on the same alleged hidden camera footage aired this month by a Kremlin-friendly TV channel.

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