RFE/RL – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Russian Activists Involved In 'Putin's Dacha' Investigations Jailed

Four environmental activists in the Russian Black Sea resort town of Gelendzhik have been found guilty of fraud.

Media reports in Russia on August 5 said that Zufar Achilov, Vladimir Ivanov, Valery Semergei, and Gagik Avanesian were sentenced to prison terms of between eight and 13 years.

The four were arrested in February 2012 while investigating the construction of summer houses in the region allegedly belonging to President Vladimir Putin and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill.

It's not clear when exactly the men were sentenced.

The court has found the activists guilty of receiving a significant sum of money from a construction company for covering up some illegalities.

They deny any wrongdoing and say they were beaten and tortured while in custody.