Dozens of Nawalny supporters rallied in Madrid on Sunday demanding the release of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny from Russian jail. The politician turned 47 years old behind bars on Sunday.

Footage shows activists holding signs reading slogans such as 'Russia without Putin', and 'Putin is killing Navalny', while also demanding an end to the Ukraine conflict.

"Today is his birthday and we are supporting him because he is being tortured in prison and we are also supporting other political prisoners," Yulia, a protester, stated.

Another activist, David, noted that "What we want is for him to be released and we also support the Ukrainians and we want the war to end as quickly as possible."

The event coincided with similar protests in Russia and worldwide.

In late March 2022, Moscow's Lefortovsky Court sentenced Navalny to nine years in a strict regime penal colony for embezzlement and contempt of court.

Investigators claimed the politician had stolen more than 350 million roubles donated to an anti-corruption fund. The contempt charge related to Navalny insulting a judge while on trial for slandering World War II verteran Ignat Artyomenko.

Navalny was arrested on January 17, 2021 as he returned from Germany, where he had been recovering from an alleged poisoning incident. He was later sentenced to three and a half years in a penal colony for violating terms of his probation.

The politician and his supporters deny all the charges against him and claim they are politically motivated.