Prominent Russian activist Andrei Pivovarov has been sentenced to 14 days in detention after being found guilty of breaking protest legislation.
Pivovarov’s sentence was announced by the Tver District Court in Moscow on September 4.
Pivovarov, the executive director of the human rights group Open Russia, was detained over an incident in Moscow on July 15 in which he had sought – via a Facebook post -- to gather signatures to petition against sweeping constitutional reforms passed later in the summer.
Pivovarov denied the charge and said it was politically motivated. After the verdict was handed down, Pivovarov accused Russian authorities of jailing him in order to sideline him ahead of local elections due to take place on September 13.
Based on reporting by Reuters and Interfax