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Sentence Reduced for Moscow Activist Accused of Violating Protest Laws

Ildar Dadin

The Moscow City Court has reduced a sentence for Ildar Dadin, an activist charged with numerous violations of protest laws, the convict's wife Anastasia Zotova tweeted on Thursday, the Slon news website reported.

Dadin was initially sentenced by Moscow's Basmanny Court to three years in a prison colony, but his term has since been reduced to two years and six months, Slon reported.

In January 2015, Dadin was sent to a detention center, but was later transferred to house arrest.

The activist had been detained four times by police officers for breaking protest laws during protest actions in August-December of 2014.

Dadin had previously faced 10 years in prison after allegedly striking a policeman who detained him and other activists walking along Moscow's Arbat Street with a banner reading: "Hitler also went after gays first. Say no to fascism in Russia," in October 2013.

In July of the same year, he was detained after protesting against Russia's "gay propaganda" laws, reportedly introduced to protect minors, in front of the Central Children's Library in Moscow.

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