Russia frees jailed actor pending appeal after public outcry

Russia frees jailed actor pending appeal after public outcry

A Moscow court on Friday ruled to release Pavel Ustinov, an actor whose conviction over an opposition protest has sparked a public outcry, Euronews reports.

Ustinov, 23, was convicted on Monday for dislocating a police officer’s shoulder during his arrest at an Aug. 3 rally in Moscow, charges he denied.

Ustinov, who was jailed for three and a half years, said he had not taken part in the protest.

The court ruled on Friday that Ustinov should be freed from custody until an appeals hearing against his sentence that is due next week.

He was expected to walk free from a Moscow detention facility later on Friday.