Russia: Alexey Navalny appears in court on defamation charges

Kremlin critic, facing charges of insulting a WWII veteran, says the case is politically motivated.

Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has appeared in a Moscow court facing charges of insulting a World War II veteran, after being ordered to prison in a separate case that sparked global outrage and mass protests in Russia The hearing came a little over one week after the 44-year-old opposition leader, a persistent thorn in the side of President Vladimir Putin, was sentenced to serve nearly three years in jail. Heavily-armed riot police surrounded the court before Friday’s hearing and set up cordons outside.