Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been fined and sentenced to 15 days in prison, a day after some of the biggest anti-government protests in years swept the country.
Navalny was jailed and given a 20,000-rouble (£280) fine by a Moscow court for disobeying police orders and organising the protests, which led to more than 1,000 people being detained.
The opposition leader has declared his intention to run for president next year, an election in which the president, Vladimir Putin, is expected to stand for, and almost certainly win, a new six-year term.
Before sentencing, Navalny tweeted a defiant selfie from court, writing: “The time will come when we will have them on trial (but honestly).” He was upbeat during his hearing, asking the judge to summon the prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, as a witness to “explain why so many people protested”.
Thousands of people rallied in dozens of cities across Russia on Sunday, called to protest by Navalny over an investigation into Medvedev’s alleged corruption. Navalny’s team released a video alleging Medvedev had amassed a collection of palaces, yachts and vineyards during his time in office.
Authorities in most cities – from Chita in Siberia to Makhachkala in Dagestan – denied permission for the rallies, and police arrested those who were holding posters or chanting, and also on occasion simply swept random people off the street. Guardian correspondent Alec luhn was among those arrested, despite having Russian journalistic accreditation. He was held for hours and charged with participating in an unsanctioned demonstration before being released after the foreign ministry intervened.