(MENAFN) Ilya Yashin, a renowned Russian opposition leader, was sentenced to 15 days in jail for defying a police officer by a Moscow court.
Yashin, a representative critic of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, tweeted, “The Khamovniki court has just sent me to jail for 15 days.”
In court, the 38-year-old stated that he did not resist police and that the case against him was politically driven. He described it as an obvious attempt to drive him out of the country and frighten him.
“This detention is a way to put pressure on me,” he commented on messaging app Telegram.
He stated that he did not rule out the possibility that his incarceration was potentially an attempt to initiate a criminal case against him in the future.
Yashin was detained late Monday while walking through a Moscow Park with his companion, journalist Irina Babloyan, according to a Telegram message from the latter.
“They say that he insulted [the police] and swore during his arrest. IT IS NOT TRUE,” she posted.
Previously on Tuesday, Yashin had posted a selfie, informing that he was on his way to a court hearing that “apparently will formalise 15 days of detention for me”.
“Will tell you details later.”
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