MOSCOW, August 29 (RAPSI, Yevgeniya Sokolova) – The Moscow City Court has ruled that the probation term of opposition politician Alexey Navalny for another year in the Yves Rocher embezzlement case, RAPSI correspondent reports from the courtroom on Tuesday.

The court dismissed an appellation lodged by the defense and upheld the decision of a lower court.

Earlier, the Simonovsky District Court of Moscow granted a request of the Federal Penitentiary Service to extend the probation noting that Navalny repeatedly violated administrative legislation during his probation term. In particular, a representative of the Service noted that Navalny failed to meet his obligation to be registered at a local penitentiary inspection office on time.

Navalny himself argued against the extension, saying that previously courts dismissed similar motions. According to Navalny, the Service’s request sought to obstruct his participation in elections.

In December 2014, Navalny was given a 3.5-year suspended sentence in the Yves Rocher case. His brother Oleg received a 3.5-year prison term. They were convicted of stealing nearly 30 million rubles (about $500,000 at the current exchange rate) from two companies, including Russian affiliate of Yves Rocher. The term of Oleg Navalny is to expire on June 30, 2018.

Moreover, Alexey Navalny was found guilty of embezzling 16 million rubles from the Kirovles timber company. He received a 5-year suspended sentence in this case.

Being convicted the opposition politician was repeatedly subjected to administrative liability for organizing an unauthorized rally in Moscow on March 26, providing resistance to police and obstructing the order or procedure of holding a rally on June 12.