The defense of Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, who was arrested in Moscow by police after a rally on December 31, complained to the European Court on Human Rights urging a fair trial, the political figure's lawyer, Vadim Prokhorov, said on Tuesday.
Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister turned opposition leader, was arrested after an anti-Kremlin rally in Moscow's Triumfalnaya Square on New Year's Eve and sentenced to 15 days in jail for "disobeying police instructions."
Some 70 people, including opposition figures Konstantin Kosyakin and Eduard Limonov, were also detained during the rally. Since then, people have been gathering outside the jailhouse in support of Nemtsov and other opposition figures.
"Nemtsov's defense has appealed to the Strasbourg Court following the violation of a number of his rights secured in the European Convention on Human Rights, including the right to a fair trial," Prokhorov said.
Prokhorov said after Nemtsov had been arrested, his defense made approximately ten attempts to appeal, but the courts refused to consider them because of the 10-day New Year's holiday that ended on January 11 in Russia.
The lawyer also said there was a nonconformance because the court was operating during the holiday as it had sanctioned arrests of those accused of illegally holding protests, however was closed when it came to considering appeals.
MOSCOW, January 11 (RIA Novosti)
