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Navalny released from custody after 15 days of administrative arrest

Shortly after midnight leader of the Left-Front opposition Sergei Udaltsov was also released from custody
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, May 24 (Itar-Tass) — Opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been released from custody on Thursday morning after 15 days of administrative arrest.

Navalny was detained in Kudrinskaya square near Barrikadnaya metro on May 9 when a group of the opposition he headed attempted to stage "a mass public stroll" which was to continue indefinitely.

The Moscow magistrate court found Navalny guilty of defying police orders and sentenced Navalny to a maximum administrative punishment -15 days in custody.

Navalny pleaded not guilty. He said he went out for a peaceful walk and committed no illegal acts. Nonetheless, police testified that "Navalny refused to go into a bus, elbowed policemen off and made a general mess."

On May 8-9 Navalny was detained four times, but after police filled administrative protocols into facts of the violations of the established rules of conducting rallies and marches police let him go. A maximum fine envisaged by the law in effect at present is 2,000 roubles.

Shortly after midnight leader of the Left-Front opposition Sergei Udaltsov was also released from custody. Udaltsov was also detained in the center of Moscow on May 9 and sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest on similar charges.