‘UNSANCTIONED’

Russian Police Release Arrested Opposition Leader Navalny

Alexei Navalny was released from jail hours after he was arrested at a Moscow street protest calling for a presidential election boycott.

Russian police have freed Alexei Navalny from jail hours after they swooped in on a major protest in Moscow on Sunday to arrest the opposition leader. According to his lawyer, he will "face court at a later date." The opposition leader has urged supporters to boycott the upcoming presidential election. He took to Twitter a short time after his arrest to write, “They have detained me. This doesn’t mean anything ... You didn’t come out for me, but for your future.” Video of his arrest showed several police officers wrestle him to the ground as his supporters tried to pull him free, chanting “Shame!” Moscow police later said Navalny had been detained for organizing the protest, which was deemed illegal by authorities. Rallies were held in cities across the country Sunday in support of the opposition leader, who has been barred from running in the March 18 election against his rival, President Vladimir Putin. Navalny has called on his supporters to boycott the upcoming vote, which he says will be rigged.