Russian court extends Kremlin critic Navalny’s probation

MOSCOW – A court in the Russian capital has extended opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s probation, a ruling that maintains the pressure on the Kremlin’s top critic.

Moscow’s Simonovsky District Court ruled Monday to extend Navalny’s probation by one year. Navalny, the most visible opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin, rejected the decision as punishment for his criticism of a recent government decision to raise the age for pension eligibility.

In 2013, Navalny was convicted of embezzlement and received a five-year suspended sentence. The charges and conviction, which barred him from challenging Putin in March’s presidential election, were widely seen as politically motivated.

Earlier this month, Navalny was released after 30 days in custody for staging an unsanctioned protest. He previously served several jail terms lasting multiple weeks each for organizing protests.