Moscow, Jan 18 (IANS/RIA Novosti): A man Russian authorities wanted to question in connection with an opposition rally in Moscow that turned violent has committed suicide in a refugee centre in Amsterdam, his lawyer said.

Alexander Dolmatov was denied political asylum in the Netherlands in 2012 and appealed the denial in court, his lawyer Yevgeny Arkhipov said.

The appeal hearing was due to take place within the next few days, he said.

The reason for the suicide was not known, he said.

Over 400 people were arrested and scores injured May 6, 2012, when protesters broke through police lines in a bid to take the protest to the Kremlin walls.

In November, a Moscow court gave a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence to Maxim Luzyanin for "the use of violence against public officials" during the protest on the eve of Vladimir Putin's inauguration for a third presidential term.

More than a dozen other defendants in the so-called Bolotnaya case maintained their innocence. They face up to 10 years behind bars if found guilty.