Jailed Russian opposition chief Alexei Navalny is severely in poor health and his situation is worsening quickly, in line with a key member of his staff who raised the chance that the politician could also be being poisoned.
Navalny was affected by abdomen pains and had misplaced greater than 8kg in physique weight in simply over two weeks, Ruslan Shaveddinov, a member of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Basis, stated in a cellphone name on Friday.
An ambulance was referred to as for Navalny to the jail final week, Shaveddinov stated, however no medicines had been prescribed. “He and his legal professionals have repeatedly demanded entry to medical doctors, a medical examination, a standard examination. However the jail authorities refuse,” he stated.
Navalny, 46, is being held at a maximum-security penal colony in Melekhovo, east of Moscow. His legal professionals and supporters had been notably involved, Shaveddinov stated, as a result of Navalny’s well being had already been weakened by the assassination try in opposition to him in 2020 utilizing the nerve agent novichok.
Navalny recovered from that assault in Germany earlier than returning to Russia in January the next yr. He was arrested on his arrival and has since obtained a number of sentences, including as much as greater than 11 years in jail.
“Russian jail is already a spot the place individuals’s well being deteriorates, whereas Alexei has lately suffered a failed assassination try,” Shaveddinov stated. “Now he’s additionally always being positioned in an isolator, a room sized 2.5 metres by three metres . . . with out being given entry to medical doctors. That is all very regarding.
“His legal professionals counsel {that a} poisoning might have taken place,” Shaveddinov added. Talking with Reuters on Thursday, Navalny’s press secretary Kira Yarmysh stated that the staff “couldn’t rule out” the concept of incremental poisoning.
She stated the opposition chief was being denied meals parcels despatched from exterior, whereas consuming jail meals was making his situation worse. Shaveddinov stated Navalny was affected by “insufferable ache” in his abdomen.
“It’s a kind of sluggish and methodical homicide, taking place in entrance of our eyes proper now, with the entire world watching. It’s very disturbing,” Shaveddinov stated. Navalny’s legal professionals go to him frequently.
