Jailed Russian opposition leader taken to prison hospital following illness
Moscow, Apr 6 (efe-epa).- Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader being held in a prison camp to the east of Moscow, has been moved to a prison hospital after he is said to have shown signs of a respiratory illness.
Russian newspaper Izvestia reported Tuesday, citing prison sources, that the opposition politician had a high fever among other symptoms and had been tested for Covid-19.
Navalny “was transferred to the medical facility, where he is under the supervision of medical staff,” the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) said Monday night, responding to a request from Izvestia about the prisoner’s health condition.
On Monday, Navalny posted on Instagram that he had a fever of 38.1 degrees Celsius and a severe cough.
The 44-year-old said he had gone on a hunger strike last week, protesting a lack of medical care.
Navalny has been sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for fraud and money laundering offences; however, he is to serve only 2.5 years as he spent 10 months under house arrest.
The imprisonment of the opposition leader, who almost died after he was allegedly poisoned during a flight to Serbia in August, sparked massive protests across the country in late January, during which thousands of people were detained.
Navalny accuses Russian President Vladimir Putin of having ordered the FSB domestic intelligence service to assassinate him.EFE/EPA
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