Russia rejects European human rights court’s order to free Navalny

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, centre, appears in court (Babuskinsky District Court Press Service via AP)

Europe’s top human rights court has ordered Russia to release jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, a ruling quickly rejected by Russian authorities who are bent on isolating the Kremlin’s most prominent foe.

The ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that was posted on Mr Navalny’s website on Wednesday demands that Russia set him free immediately and warns that failing to do so would mark a breach of the European human rights convention.