Russian celebrities rally support for jailed actor

Pavel Ustinov, accused of using violence against an officer of Russia's National Guard during a rally to demand free elections, attends a court hearing in Moscow

Members of Russia's film and theatre community are protesting after a young actor was jailed for assaulting a police officer during a rally he insists he wasn't even part of.

Pavel Ustinov, 23, was sentenced to three and a half years for injuring an officer during an unauthorised protest last month to demand free elections.

Prosecutors said the actor, who has appeared in small roles in Russian films, had been heard shouting opposition slogans and had assaulted one of the officers who had tried to arrest him.

But his supporters say videos posted on YouTube, which were not allowed to be shown in court, show Ustinov standing on the sidelines before being approached by armed officers and violently detained.

On Wednesday, around 200 people formed a queue at the presidential administration office to protest for the actor's release. It follows a social media campaign by actor Alexander Pal.

People queue to attend a protest on Wednesday in support of Russian actor Pavel Ustinov in central Moscow

Pal posted a video on social media on Monday calling for a "flash mob" of support for Ustinov, whom he refers to by nickname: "From the video of his arrest, it is clear that Pasha wasn't resisting national guard servicemen and riot police, that he wasn't chanting any slogans."

The hashtag #SvobodyPavluUstinovu (freedom to Pavel Ustinov) has been trending on Russian Twitter.

Actress Alexandra Bortich said on Instagram: "This horrible lawlessness and injustice shouldn't be left unnoticed, brushed under the carpet and left unpunished."

Actress Alexandra Bortich said: "This injustice should not be be left unnoticed."

Prominent Russian actor Alexander Petrov said he hoped Ustinov's case "will be reviewed and he is set free", while musician Andrei Makarevich also posted a video calling for Ustinov's release.

Amid an overall TV silence on the matter, popular comedian Ivan Urgant opened his late-night show with a joke about the sentencing judge. And, unexpectedly, prominent pro-Kremlin politician Andrei Turchak called the situation "blatant injustice which cannot be ignored".

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Many also used the hashtag "I am/We are Pavel Ustinov", echoing a similar slogan popular during the protests against the prosecution of investigative journalist Ivan Golunov.

Golunov had worked on investigations into censorship and finance

Golunov was freed in June after drug-dealing charges against him were dropped.

Three major Russian newspapers had earlier rallied round the freelance journalist in a rare public show of support.

Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokotsev said officers who had arrested him would be suspended during an investigation.

Voicing his support for Ustinov, theatre director Alexander Molochnikov said: "Journalists stood up for Golunov, rappers stood up for Husky... I beg you to at least not keep silent about it and convey to the audience... that it is unjust. Let's talk about it during curtain calls."

Actor Nikita Yefremov also referred to the case, in an Instagram video, saying it "was fascinating how the journalist community joined forces [in the case of Golunov] and I think we can do this as well".