Kremlin critic Navalny sentenced to further 9 years in jail

Russia March 22 (Reuters/rt.com)- Jailed Kremlin critic and Russian opposition activist Alexey Navalny was sentenced to a further 9 years in a maximum security prison by a Russian court, Tuesday.  

The 45-year-old was already serving a two-and-a-half year sentence at a prison camp east of Moscow for parole violations related to charges that he says were fabricated to thwart his political ambitions.  

His existing sentence will be incorporated into the one handed down on Tuesday, said his lawyers, both of whom were briefly detained after the hearing.  

“I want to say: the best support for me and other political prisoners is not sympathy and kind words, but actions” Navalny said on Twitter after the verdict.  

Prosecutors had sought to add 13 years to Navalny’s original sentence in the latest criminal case, in which he was accused of using 356 million roubles ($3.42 million) in donations collected by his foundation for personal purposes.