Russian oppositon leader Navalny freed to run for mayor position

A Russian court has released opposition leader Alexei Navalny from custody less than 24 hours after convicting him of embezzlement and sentencing him to five years in prison.

The release came after a surprise request by prosecutors, who said that because Navalny is a candidate in this autumn’s Moscow mayoral race, keeping him in custody would deny him his right to seek election.