(ANSA) - MOSCOW, AUG 20 - Alexei Navalny "was not convicted" for his political activity but for "the criminals committed against foreign partners" in the Yves Rocher case.
Vladimir Putin said this during the press conference with Angela Merkel.
The war on corruption "is important" but it must not be used "as an instrument of political struggle", added Putin, commenting on Navalny's article published by several international newspapers.
(HANDLE).