Main News of December 17 Posted byRussian_Village December 17, 2012 Leave a comment on Main News of December 17 RUSSIA * A group of prominent Russian rights advocates and experts unveiled a new independent human rights organization, intended to lobby Western governments to introduce more sanctions against Russian officials implicated in rights abuses * Russian whistleblower and opposition leader Alexei Navalny said that investigators have officially notified him about a second criminal case against him * The Russian embassy in Syria confirmed that two Russian nationals have been abducted near the western Syrian port city of Latakia * Cyprus confirmed that it had launched a probe into the possible laundering of funds stolen in Russia WORLD * Japan’s conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its traditional partner New Komeito party won 325 seats in the 480-seat lower house of parliament during elections on Sunday securing an impressive return to power after three years in opposition