Russian Billionaire Charged with Hooliganism

Alexander Lebedev, a billionaire and outspoken Kremlin critic, has been charged with hooliganism in connection with his on-air brawl with businessman Sergei Polonsky a little over a year ago.  The charge, which carries up to a five-year prison sentence, is for "hooliganism motivated by political, ideological, racial, ethnic or religious hatred or enmity" - the same charge that led to prison terms for three members of Pussy Riot last month.  In connection with the indictment, Lebedev was asked to give a written assurance that he would not leave the country, something that he refused to do in the past. Lebedev agreed that he would not go into hiding and would remain available to investigators. Lebedev's lawyer, Genri Reznik, criticized the charges against his client, saying that the Kremlin is truing to punish Lebedev for his exposure of government corruption, and publishing Novaya Gazeta, which supports the opposition leader and anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny. In addition to Novaya Gazeta, which Lebedev co-owns with former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, his other high-profile assets include Britain's The Independent and London's Evening Standard.  The next hearing of Lebedev's case is tentatively scheduled for October 2nd.
http://www.novayagazeta.ru/news/59848.html
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/billionaire-lebedev-charged-with-hooliganism/468825.html
http://youtu.be/YQb4kQCj-z0 (video)