MOSCOW, February 21 (RAPSI) - A court in the Vladimir Region has granted early release for Russian nationalist Dmitry Demushkin sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for inciting racial hatred and enmity online, lawyer Oleg Kolesnikov has told RAPSI.

The court has ordered his release due to the recent changes in legislation mitigating punishment for the crimes Demushkin had been convicted of, the attorney has said.

In April 2017, Moscow’s Nagatinsky District Court found Demushkin guilty of extremism. The trial was held behind closed doors. The Moscow City Court upheld the ruling in July 2017.

According to the Moscow prosecutor’s office, in 2014, the defendant published two extremist images on his social media account aiming to incite animosity and hatred towards a certain group of people.

Demushkin pleaded not guilty.