Rwandan activist Diane Rwigara and her mother have been released on bail by a court in the capital, Kigali.
Ms Rwigara is facing charges of fraud and inciting insurrection in connection with her attempt to run for president in 2017.
Her mother had been charged with incitement, discrimination and sectarianism.
Both women deny the charges against them.
Among those who cheered the decision at the court was Victoire Ingabire – another opposition politician – who was released from prison last month after serving part of her sentence for threatening state security, reports the BBC’s Tomi Oladipo.
Diane Rwigara is a renowned women’s activist in Rwanda and had hoped to challenge President Paul Kagame in the 2017 election.
But her bid was unsuccessful when she was disqualified after investigators alleged that she had committed an electoral offence by collecting forged signatures to endorse her candidacy.
Mr Kagame won the election with 99% of the vote.
The prosecution said, in a tweet that has since been deleted, that while it respects the decision to grant bail it disagrees with it.
Among the bail conditions, the Rwigaras will have to seek permission to leave Kigali and also submit their travel documents to the authorities.
