A Moscow district court has rejected a slander lawsuit against Alexei Navalny filed by Olga Lopatina, the former wife of one of Prosecutor General Yury Chaika's deputies, the Interfax news agency reported Wednesday.
"By the court's decision, the lawsuit was given back to the applicant because of its imperfections", court spokeswoman Lidmila Morozova said, Interfax reported.
The lawsuit against Navalny, his Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) employees and, surprisingly, the company Google, had been filed to the court on Tuesday, Lopatina's lawyer told Interfax at the time.
Lopatina demanded an investigative film made by FBK called "Chaika" to be removed from public access, claiming it was a hoax. She had also asked for 5 million rubles ($70,900) as compensation for moral damages.
The film accuses Prosecutor General Yury Chaika's family members, including his two sons and some colleagues, of being involved in shady business deals and various illegal activities including a murder.
According to the film, Olga Lopatina co-owned a five-star hotel in Greece with Chaika's son Artyom. In addition, her ex-husband, former Chaika deputy Gennady Lopatin, was linked to the Tsapok gang, responsible for a series of murders in the southern Russian town of Kushchevskaya.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.