Russian Opposition Figure Navalny Released After 15-Day Sentence

Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny was released rom a Moscow detention center after serving 15 days in custody.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny was released on Friday from a Moscow detention center after serving 15 days in custody for handing out leaflets promoting an anti-Kremlin rally, an ally of the activist said.

The activist was sentenced to administrative detention on February 19 for violating the law as the rally he was promoting was not authorized by authorities.

"Navalny has left the detention center. Navalny’s administrative detention has ended," Roman Rubanov wrote on his Twitter page.

Закончился административный арест Навального.

— Рубанов Роман (@rrubanov) March 6, 2015

Alexei Navalny indirectly confirmed his release by greeting his followers on his Twitter page.

Всем привет.

— Alexey Navalny (@navalny) March 6, 2015

On December 30, the anti-Kremlin blogger was given a suspended sentence of 3.5 years for the embezzlement of 30 million rubles ($500,000) from the Yves Rocher cosmetics company and the Multifunctional Processing Company (MPC). His brother Oleg was sentenced to a real prison term of the same length in the case.

Both verdicts were substantially lower than the prosecution's request of 10-year prison term for Alexei and eight-year term for Oleg.