Europe News

Russian opposition leader Navalny is released from custody, his lawyer says

Key Points
  • Navalny had been arrested following his appearance at a rally calling for a boycott of March elections in Russia
  • Navalny could face 30 days in jail for violating Russian anti-demonstration laws
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny at a mass march on the one-year anniversary of dissident Boris Nemtsov's killing on Feb. 27, 2016 in Moscow, Russia.
Mikhail Svetlov | Getty Images

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was released from police custody late on Sunday after a brief appearance at a rally in Moscow calling for the boycott of a March presidential election that he said would be a rigged.

Navalny's lawyer, Olga Mikhailova, told Reuters that her client had been released without charge but would have to face court at a later date.

If charged with violating laws on holding demonstrations, Navalny could face up to 30 days in jail.