MOSCOW, March 2 (RAPSI) – Moscow’s Tverskoy District Court on Monday ordered the Russian Finance Ministry to pay a participant of the unauthorized July 27 Moscow rally Daniil Konon 100,000 rubles ($1,500) in compensation for moral harm caused by illegal prosecution, RAPSI reports from the courtroom.

The plaintiff asked the court to recover over 1.4 million rubles (over $20,000) from the defendant. According to the lawsuit, Konon was caused moral damage by the month-long detention, searches in his flat and interrogation without an attorney.

Konon was arrested on August 5 on allegations of participation in mass riots. In early September, charges against the man were dropped due to the lack of criminal elements he was accused of.

Protest actions began in Moscow in mid-July after election commissions denied registration of certain opposition members as candidates for the Moscow City Duma elections reasoning that documents submitted by them contained numerous violations.

The first unauthorized rally took place hear the Moscow City Election Commission’s building on July 14 and looked like a provocation, according to law experts.

Unauthorized rallies in support of candidates seeking to become lawmakers of the Moscow State Duma but refused registration by the Election Commission were also held on July 27 and August 3 in central Moscow. Over 1,000 people were arrested for various violations as a result.

Following the 27 July rally, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case over mass riots. Investigators believe that the protest action was held with the use of force against representatives of authority.