Russian court jails Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny for 30 days

A Russian court sentenced opposition leader Alexei Navalny to 30 days in jail on Monday after convicting him of breaking public protest laws, a move that will prevent him from leading a planned anti-government rally against pension reform next month.

Navalny, who was detained by police outside his home on Saturday, was found guilty of breaking protest legislation by going ahead and organising a street rally in Moscow on Jan. 28 despite the authorities refusing to sanction it.

Navalny told the court he believed the authorities were jailing him for the offence over six months later in order to stop him taking part in a protest planned for Sept. 9 against the government's plan to raise the retirement age.