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Opposition Leader Among 100 Detained Outside Moscow Courthouse

<p>Alexei Navalny among more than 100 detained outside Moscow courthouse.</p>
Police detain protesters outside a courthouse in Moscow February 24, 2014. Russian police detained dozens of protesters on Monday outside a Moscow courthouse where a judge was expected to sentence eight defendants convicted of attacking police at a 2012 demonstration against President Vladimir Putin.
Police detain protesters outside a courthouse in Moscow February 24, 2014. Russian police detained dozens of protesters on Monday outside a Moscow courthouse where a judge was expected to sentence eight defendants convicted of attacking police at a 2012 demonstration against President Vladimir Putin. TATYANA MAKEYEVA / Reuters

Russian riot police detained over 100 protesters on Monday outside a Moscow courthouse where they were demonstrating against the prosecution of seven defendants who were arrested at a 2012 rally against President Vladimir Putin.

Their pleas fell on deaf ears however as the judge sentenced seven defendants to prison terms ranging from two-and-a-half to four years for attacking police officers.

Among those detained was Alexei Navalny, who emerged from a series of street protests in 2011-2012 as one of the top opposition leaders.

Image: Police detain opposition leader Alexei Navalny outside a courthouse in Moscow
Police detain opposition leader Alexei Navalny outside a courthouse in Moscow on Feb. 24.TATYANA MAKEYEVA / Reuters

Pussy Riot members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina also took part in the protest.

— Reuters

Image: RUSSIA-POLITICS-RIGHTS-JUSTICE
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, left, and Maria Alyokhina, members of punk group Pussy Riot, sing outside Zamoskvoretsky district court in Moscow on Feb. 24.VASILY MAXIMOV / AFP - Getty Images