(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) The EU Tuesday criticized the guilty verdict delivered earlier today by a court in Moscow against opposition campaigners Alexey Navalny and his brother Oleg as "being politically motivated.
"The charges against them have not been substantiated during the trial. With the exception of a few selected representatives of the media, no public and international observers were allowed into the court building for the reading of the verdict," said Catherine Ray, spokesperson for EU High Representative Federica Mogherini, in a statement.
According to western media reports, Alexei and Oleg were accused of stealing about USD 500,000 from two firms including an affiliate of the French cosmetics company Yves Rocher between 2008 and 2012.
The court gave Alexei a suspended sentence but jailed Oleg Navalnt for three and a half years for fraud.
The EU statement stressed "the importance of judicial decisions to be free from political interference, independent, and in full compliance with the rule of law.
"In anticipation of announced public actions tonight in Moscow, the EU expects that all parties concerned will show restraint," it added.
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