Court releases Moscow protester accused of throwing plastic bottle at police

A young man, who was accused of attempted violence against a police officer during unauthorized protests in Moscow on July 27, has been released from custody after the prosecutor said the case required additional investigation.

A district court in Moscow has ruled that Aidar Gubaydulin should be freed but made subject to travel restrictions. The judge pointed out “inconsistency between the qualification of the crime with the actual circumstances of the case” as he explained his decision.

Gubaydulin, who tossed a plastic bottle in the direction of a police officer but missed, was charged with “applying violence against a representative of authority that is not dangerous to life or health.” The 26-year-old programmer denied the accusations.

The violation carries a punishment of up to five years in prison. Several participants of unauthorized rallies in the capital have already received jail time on similar charges.

The young man said that he threw a bottle because he couldn’t contain his emotions after witnessing the violent arrest of protesters by the police. Gubaydulin’s defense insisted that the bottle was empty and therefore couldn’t harm the law enforcer.

The prosecutors claimed that it contained water and posed a danger to the policeman, who was also traumatized by the attempted assault. According to the lawyer, the bottle is question was never retrieved and could not be included in evidence.

After Wednesday’s hearing, Gubaydulin’s lawyer told the media that he was surprised by the ruling. He linked the release of his client to the massive public outcry over the conviction of up-and-coming actor, Pavel Ustinov.

On Monday, Ustinov was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for dislocating a police officer’s shoulder during his arrest at an unauthorized protest on August 3.

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