Russian Anti-Corruption Blogger Charged

Alexei Navalny, who has been charged with theft, faces a long prison sentence and is banned from leaving Russia.

Russian investigators charged street protest leader Alexei Navalny with theft on Tuesday and banned him from leaving the country, threatening a heavy jail term in what supporters say is a growing crackdown on dissent by President Vladimir Putin.

Navalny, an anti-corruption blogger who has organized demonstrations that have dented Putin's authority, dismissed the charge as absurd and other opposition leaders accused Putin of using KGB-style tactics to try to silence his critics.