Germany has condemned an order by Russian prosecutors to suspend all activities by jailed opposition figure Alexei Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK) and its regional network.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said "using the instruments of fighting terror against politically undesirable opinions is in no way compatible with the principles of the rule of law".
A Moscow court had begun a preliminary hearing into designating FBK and its regional offices as "extremist" after prosecutors requested they be added to a list of "terrorist and extremist" organisations run by Russia's Anti-Terrorism Committee.
The Moscow City Court confirmed that the activities of the group's regional network were suspended, but clarified that prosecutors had the power to make the decision and said a final court ruling on designating the group as extremist was still due.
Russia's list of extremist organisations currently consists of 33 including the Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and the Jehovah's Witnesses.
The groups are banned from operating in Russia and participating in their activities can result in lengthy prison terms.
Navalny, Russian President Vladimir Putin's most prominent opponent, was arrested in January on returning to Russia from Berlin after recovering from a near-fatal poisoning attack he says was orchestrated by the Kremlin.
Moscow denies the allegation.
He is serving two-and-a-half years on old fraud charges - which he says are politically motivated - in a penal colony in the town of Pokrov east of Moscow.
Moscow expels Italian diplomat
Meanwhile, Moscow announced on Monday that it was expelling an Italian diplomat in response to the "unfriendly" removal of two Russian officials from Italy in March over spying allegations.
The foreign ministry said it had summoned Italy's ambassador and that he was informed Russia was "declaring 'persona-non-grata'" Rome's naval attache in Moscow, who would have 24 hours to leave the country.
Italy said the move was "unfounded and unjust".
The foreign ministry said: "We consider the decision unfounded and unjust because it is in retaliation for a legitimate measure taking by the Italian authorities in defence of their own security."
