Russian court weighs whether to free jailed actor at centre of outcry - Vedomosti

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian court on Friday began a hearing to decide whether to free an actor whose conviction over an opposition protest has sparked a public outcry, the daily Vedomosti newspaper reported.

Pavel Ustinov, 23, was convicted on Monday for dislocating a police officer's shoulder during his detention at an Aug. 3 rally in Moscow, charges he denied.

Ustinov, who was jailed for three and a half years, said he had not taken part in the protest.

(Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Andrew Osborn)