Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the Prosecutor General to investigate if a guilty verdict for Moscow protester Konstantin Kotov was lawful, the Kremlin said. A Moscow court sentenced Kotov, a 34-year-old programmer, to four years in prison in September for “repeated” participation in unauthorized rallies, under a widely criticized law that has made non-violent protests a criminal offence. The court said Kotov “disregarded basic constitutional principles” because he continued to take part in unauthorized protests after being found guilty of violating legislation on public gatherings.