against him by businessman Vladlen Stepanov 

© Photo Georgy Alburov (@alburov). 

On 2 November Aleksei Navalny lodged an appeal with Moscow City Court against the decision by Liublino district court under which Navalny must pay 100,000 roubles in damages to businessman Vladlen Stepanov for defamation, Vadim Kobzev, a defence counsel for Aleksei Navalny, has said. 

Aleksei Navalny considers the ruling in favour of Vladlen Stepanov to be unlawful and without grounds, and moreover that in breach of legal procedures. Aleksei Navalny has therefore asked Moscow City Court to quash the ruling by Liublino district court and return the case to the court for a fresh hearing under new judges, the Open Information Agency reports. [Read more]