• Moscow city & Moscow region Political prisoners Public Prosecutor's Office Security services Freedom of expression Harassment of activists

A new criminal investigation has been launched against Aleksei Navalny, well-known blogger, lawyer and political opponent of the authorities, who is currently under house arrest.

The new investigation relates to accusations made by Aleksei Lisovenko, a deputy elected to the Babushkinsky district municipal authority in Moscow, Navalny's lawyer Olga Mikhailova told Rosbalt news agency.

According to Olga Mikhailova, Navalny will be given documents in the judicial department of Babushkinsky district concerning a criminal case opened against him, Interfax reports.

On 28 February Moscow’s Basmanny district court at the request of investigators placed Navalny under house arrest for allegedly violating the travel restrictions imposed on him and an administrative violation. Navalny will be under house arrest until 28 April.

The political activist is banned from using the telephone or the internet.

He is allowed to communicate in person only with near relatives and investigators working on the Yves Rocher case.

In a further statement, Judge Artur Karpov directed Navalny’s attention to the fact that he is banned from communicating with media representatives with regard to the circumstances of the criminal case.