Mobile: Russia's Navalny vows to win Moscow mayor's race

"We are a huge, powerful force," Navalny tells crowd in Moscow Opposition leader is facing a five-year prison termNavalny will appeal his conviction, denies he misappropriated money in a lumber dealHe vows not to waver again about finishing mayoral campaign

(CNN) -- Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, facing a five-year prison term and free pending an appeal, returned to Moscow on Saturday and vowed he will be elected mayor.

Hundreds of supporters and journalists met Navalny's train as he returned from his trial in Kirov, according to state-run Ria Novosti.

"We are a huge, powerful force," Navalny told the crowd. "I'm very glad that we've started to recognize that force ourselves. ... I want to apologize to you for not believing so strongly in you."

His apology referred to his statements Friday that he was not certain he would run for mayor. By Saturday, he was declaring, "We will go to the elections and we will win," Rio Novosti reported.

Navalny denied wrongdoing and said he was targeted because he is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's most outspoken critics.

'A parody of a prosecution'

Navalny's conviction and sentencing Thursday prompted wide condemnation.

The European Union's top diplomat, Catherine Ashton, called the trial a sham. And former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev issued a statement saying the case "unfortunately confirms that we do not have an independent judiciary."

Navalny has been a prominent organizer of street protests, and has attacked corruption in Russian government.

"Navalny's prosecution is meant to silence a leader and messenger," said Rachel Denber, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Europe division

Amnesty International's Europe and Central Asia program director, John Dalhuisen, said, "This was a parody of a prosecution and a parody of a trial. The case was twice closed for lack of evidence of a crime, before being reopened on the personal instruction of Russia's top investigator."

/* push in config for this share instance */cnn_shareconfig.push({"id" : "cnn_sharebar2","url" : "http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/20/world/europe/russia-navalny-case/index.html","title" : "Convicted opposition leader Navalny vows to win Moscow mayor\'s race"});

July 18, 2013 -- Updated 2148 GMT (0548 HKT)

Parents of children lost in a school poisoning tragedy in India are overwhelmed with grief. Sumnima Udas reports.July 19, 2013 -- Updated 1852 GMT (0252 HKT)

The backlash over Rolling Stone's cover photo of the Boston Marathon bombing suspect led to the release of new photos of his capture.July 18, 2013 -- Updated 2035 GMT (0435 HKT)

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is free to appeal a jail sentence for embezzlement. But who is this critic of President Putin?

Immigrants fleeing violence pay people smugglers thousands of dollars to enter Europe through Greece. The exodus includes children, alone and at risk.July 19, 2013 -- Updated 1251 GMT (2051 HKT)

Royal watchers eagerly await the arrival of a child who will be heir to the British throne. Here's what you need to know and the latest developments:July 19, 2013 -- Updated 0231 GMT (1031 HKT)

A Buddhist monk accused of rape and embezzling donations to live a lavish lifestyle is on the run from Thai authorities. July 18, 2013 -- Updated 0758 GMT (1558 HKT)

CNN's Desktop Caddy watches while you work with coverage of the British Open at Muirfield.July 18, 2013 -- Updated 1510 GMT (2310 HKT)

It was not because of "your books or school." A letter purportedly from the Taliban to Malala explains why they shot her in the head. July 17, 2013 -- Updated 1509 GMT (2309 HKT)

Watch this incredible video of the wreck of the cruise ship Costa Concordia filmed from a drone in the sky.July 18, 2013 -- Updated 2157 GMT (0557 HKT)

All that glitters is not gold, they say. But all the gold in the world may come from astronomical events that send high-energy light out in space. July 19, 2013 -- Updated 0819 GMT (1619 HKT)