A court in Russia has sentenced eight protesters for rioting and attacking police at a demonstration against Vladimir Putin's inauguration for a third presidential term in 2012.
Seven of the "Bolotnaya" activists received prison terms of up to four years. An eighth, the only woman on trial, received a suspended sentence.
Outside the court in Moscow, police detained more than 100 people who rallied in support of the defendants.
The activists were convicted on Friday.
But the judge delayed sentencing until Monday - sparking speculation that the Kremlin was trying to avoid negative publicity ahead of Sunday's closing ceremony for the Sochi Winter Olympics.
About 650 activists were detained following clashes with police at an anti-Kremlin protest in Moscow's Bolotnaya Square, a day before Mr Putin was due to be sworn in for a third term as president in May 2012.
Many of the protesters outside the court on Monday chanted "freedom" and "Maidan", in a show of solidarity with the activists in Ukraine's Independence Square, also known as Maidan.
Among them were Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, members of protest group Pussy Riot and fierce critics of Mr Putin, who were recently released from prison under an amnesty.
(BBC News)
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