MOSCOW, September 20 (RAPSI) – Russia’s human rights advocates on Friday welcomed release of actor Pavel Ustinov, who had been earlier found guilty of inflicting bodily harm to law enforcement officer during an unauthorized rally, from detention.

The Moscow City Court on Friday ordered release of Ustinov on travel restrictions. The court granted a motion filed by the Prosecutor General’s Office for his release until appeal against his sentence for inflicting personal injury to a National Guard officer during an unauthorized rally is considered on September 26.

Russia’s ombudsman Tatiana Moskalkova, who attended the hearing, called detention of Ustinov illegal and backed up the decision on the actor’s release. Following the hearing she told journalists that the court attained justice. She also hopes appeals against Ustinov’s sentence will be considered thoroughly.

The Presidential Council for Human Rights also believe the release of Ustinov is a little victory. According to one of the advisory body’s member Leonid Polyakov, the case was “transferred from the territory of emotions to the legal field.”

On September 16, Ustinov was found guilty of inflicting personal injury to a National Guard officer when being arrested during an authorized rally and received 3.5 years behind bars.

The court delivered a lesser sentence than prosecutors sought. On September 12, a prosecutor asked the court to sentence Ustinov to 6 years in jail.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty and appealed against the ruling.

According to investigators, the man was an active participant of the unauthorized rally in central Moscow on August 3. While being arrested he resisted a National Guard officer causing him a shoulder point closed dislocation.