Navalny convicted, sentenced to five years

Russian opposition leader navalny was convicted of embezzlement charges and sentenced to five years' incarceration after what is widely regarded as a rigged trial. Quoting the BBC:

A spokesperson for the EU's top foreign policy official, Catherine Ashton, said the embezzlement charges were unsubstantiated, and that Navalny's jailing posed "serious questions as to the state of the rule of law in Russia".

French foreign ministry spokesman Philippe Lalliot added his concern, but said: "We note that not all judicial remedies have been exhausted and that the sentence could be reviewed on appeal."

Navalny's supporters in Moscow have vowed to stage protests against the verdict later on Thursday.

Navalny himself has urged his supporters to keep fighting (Original in Russian).