Anti-Putin Protesters Convicted of Rioting in Moscow Show Trial

A judge in Moscow has convicted eight anti-government protesters of rioting during a 2012 protest against Vladimir Putin. Sentencing was postponed until Monday, meaning it will be revealed after Sunday's close of the Sochi Winter Olympics. The case is seen as a "show trial" designed to make clear Putin will tolerate no dissent.

Outside the court building, several hundred people, including two freed members of the punk band Pussy Riot, rallied in support of the defendants. Police arrested about 50 people.

The 2012 protest on the eve of Putin's inauguration for a third term turned violent after police blocked access to a square where the protesters had planned to gather. Some demonstrators hurled bottles and stones at police, who struck protesters with clubs. Twenty-nine protesters faced criminal charges, but 11 were released as part of a December amnesty that was widely seen as an attempt by Putin to improve Russia's image before the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.