A Just Russia party member Oleg Shein announced on Monday he would stop his hunger strike in protest against purported election violations in the southern Russian city of Astrakhan on April 24.
Shein, who lost to the ruling United Russia party’s candidate in the May 4 mayoral election, has been on hunger strike since March 16.
“We have achieved the goals which prove that we were right,” Shein said at a news conference.
Sixteen of 20 Shein supporters, who were arrested in protest rallies, have been released. Four more detainees are expected to be set free tomorrow.
“As an honest man, I will end my hunger strike tomorrow after all our comrades have been released,” Shein said.
Shein’s hunger strike follows this winter’s mass rallies against newly elected President Vladimir Putin. Some Kremlin opponents see regional politics as a new venue for successful anti-government protest.