Navalny supporters hold demonstrations to mark Russian opposition leader’s 47th birthday

MOSCOW (AP) — The imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has voiced hope for a better future in Russia as his supporters held demonstrations to mark his birthday. Navalny turned 47 on Sunday while serving a nine-year sentence at a maximum-security prison east of Moscow. He was convicted of fraud and contempt of court. He says the charges were trumped up to punish him for his work exposing official corruption and organizing anti-Kremlin protests. He now faces a new trial on extremism charges that could keep him in prison for decades. Navalny supporters in Russia risked their own prison terms. Some marked his birthday by holding individual pickets and others painted graffiti. Police quickly detained many for questioning.