Russian writer and blogger Eduard Bagirov is facing eight years in prison in Moldova for participating in a political protest there in 2009.

The Prosecutor General's Office in Moldova said Wednesday that the criminal prosecution in Bagirov's case is completed and that he has been charged. The statement said the defendant and his lawyer were informed about it.

Bagirov was arrested June 16 on allegations that he used the Internet to organize mass riots in the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, in April 2009, when anti-communist protesters forced their way into the parliament building and the president's offices. A court ruled that he must remain in custody pending trial.

Russia's Foreign Ministry issued a protest note last month, urging Moldovan authorities to release the writer until the trial begins.

Chisinau riots broke out on April 7, 2009 after a parliamentary election in which the Communist Party claimed a significant victory. Several hundred people were injured in the violence.

Bagirov is known to Russian readers for his novel Gastarbeiter .