MOSCOW : ARussiancourtonSundayhandedtheretiredfatherofoneofjailedKremlincriticAlexeiNavalny’salliesathree – yearsuspendedsentence , hislawyersaid , inacorruptioncasethatcriticssayiswithoutmerit.ProsecutorshadaskedforYuryZhdanov , 67 , tobesentencedtothreeyearsinjail , hislawyerVladimirVoroninsaidearlierthisweek , onchargesoffraudandforgery.RussiathisyearbannedNavalny’spoliticalnetworkdeemingitextremistaspartofacrackdownonthegroup.Zhdanov’sson , Ivan , whoisbasedabroad , hassaidthecaseagainsthisfatherisaneffortbytheauthoritiestopunishhimforhisownpoliticalwork.Zhdanov , whodeniedhisguilt , spentseveralmonthsinpre – trialdetention , butwasreleasedfromcustodyonSundayaftersentencing , hisVoroninsaid .