Russia rejects Western criticism over Navalny prison term

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny stands in a cage during his hearing at Moscow City Court on Tuesday (Moscow City Court via AP)

Russian authorities have shrugged off the massive rallies against the jailing of top Kremlin foe Alexei Navalny and rejected Western criticism as “hysterics”.

A Moscow court ordered Mr Navalny to prison for two years and eight months, finding that he violated the terms of his probation while recuperating in Germany from a nerve-agent poisoning.