Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been released after three weeks in jail on charges of organizing illegal anti-Kremlin protests.
The 42-year-old – one of President Vladimir Putin’s strongest Critics – was freed from a detention center in Moscow.
It was the second time he had been detained in as many months: he completed a 30-day prison sentence on 24 September for organizing a rally in January but was re-arrested as soon as he walked free.
Over the 50 days I have been in jail we have seen yet more evidence that this regime is in complete decline,
He said, apparently referring to embarrassments to Russia’s intelligence services.
If anyone thinks that with arrests… they can scare or stop us, that is clearly not the case.
Authorities have turned up the heat on the Yale-educated lawyer since Mr Putin’s approval ratings dipped significantly over hugely unpopular pension reforms in the summer.