By Anadolu Agency staff
MOSCOW (AA) – A Russian court ordered house arrest Friday for the brother and aides of jailed Russian opposition politician Alexey Navalny.
At Tverskoy District Court of Moscow, a hearing was held on grounds that the rules of sanitary and epidemiological were violated during unauthorized demonstrations last week for Navalny's release.
Navalny’s brother, Oleg Navalny, his lawyer Lyubov Sobol, personal doctor Anastasiya Vasilyeva and the Moscow headquarters coordinator Oleg Stepanov were all placed under house arrest until March 23.
Mariya Alehina, a member of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot was also sentenced on similar charges.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered last week in Russia to protest Navalny’s detention and demanded his immediate release.
A number of supporters were detained when police intervened.
Russian police raided the apartment and the office of the jailed Russian opposition figure Wednesday for alleged violation of epidemiological or sanitary standards.
The raid occurred after several countries demanded Russia release Navalny while nationwide demonstrations were held to protest his detention.
Navalny, 44, who received treatment in Germany for poisoning, was arrested in Moscow after he returned Jan. 17. Authorities said he violated probation terms from a suspended sentence on a 2014 money laundering offense. Navalny says the charge is "politically motivated."
Less than 25 hours after his return, Moscow's Khimki Court ruled that Navalny would remain in custody on a 30-day pre-trial detention.
He is now behind bars in Moscow's infamous jail Matrosskaya Tishina.
