KALININGRAD, Russia -- Russian opposition activist Ivan Luzin has left Russia after serving a 25-day jail term over an anti-war rally he did not take part in.
Luzin told the Novy Kaliningrad newspaper on March 29 that he, his wife, and their four children are currently in Poland.
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Luzin said he planned to leave Russia months ago after pressure was imposed on opposition activists and associates of jailed opposition politician Aleksei Navalny last year.
However, he added, the decision to leave the country as soon as possible came after Russia started its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
On that day some 200 residents of the city of Kaliningrad rallied to protest the war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine. Police arrested 40 activists, including Luzin, who was detained before the rally started.
Luzin and another activist, Anastasia Nekhayeva, were sentenced to 25 days in jail on a charge of violating the law on public gatherings, which they both served.
In April 2021, Luzin was sentenced to 21 days in jail for taking part in an unsanctioned rally to support Navalny.
In December 2020, he was ordered to pay a hefty fine for holding a single person picket, demanding that Russian authorities investigate Navalny's poisoning with a nerve agent.