Navalny’s Reprieve Confounds Russians

July 23 (Bloomberg) -- Less than 24 hours after AlexeiNavalny, corruption fighter and President Vladimir Putin’sfierce opponent, was handcuffed and led away to serve a five-year prison sentence, he was free again to run for mayor ofMoscow. Guessing at the reasons for the turnaround has becomethe Moscow political community’s favorite game in recent days,showing that no one really understands the workings of thenation’s Byzantine government.

On July 18, Navalny and his friend, businessman PyotrOfitserov, were convicted of stealing about $500,000 worth oflumber from a state-owned company in Kirov, a city where Navalnyonce served as an unpaid adviser to the governor. The flimsinessof the charges, and the predetermined verdict, left little doubtthat Navalny was being punished for his criticism of Putin’sregime.