Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was freed Thursday after serving a 30-day jail sentence for his role in organizing massive protests against President Vladimir Putin last month.
“I’m with you again after a 30-day business trip,” he wrote on Twitter. “I’m so happy to be free.”
Navalny and hundreds of his supporters were detained during the May demonstrations in Moscow and dozens of other cities on the eve of Putin’s inauguration to another six-year presidential term. He was charged with inciting an unauthorized rally, and a Moscow court ordered him to jail.
Navalny, who also organized massive street protests to coincide with Putin’s 2012 re-election, was barred from the presidential ballot in March because of a conviction on financial crimes, charges he contends were fabricated.
He has served a number of weeks-long jail terms in recent years for organizing protests.