Alexei Navalny's lawyers alarmist after meeting Russian opponent
Olga Mikhailova and Vadim Kobzev, lawyers for Alexey Navalny, speak to the media outside the care unit of the IK-3 prison center, April 20, 2021. REUTERS - TATYANA MAKEYEVA
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In Russia, the opponent Alexeï Navalny is still on hunger strike and his state of health is deteriorating day by day, says those around him.
His lawyers were able to visit him on Tuesday and found him extremely weakened and very poorly cared for.
They ask for his immediate transfer to a civilian hospital to prevent him from dying.
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Alexeï Navalny's lawyers did not hide their very deep concern on Tuesday, after meeting their client.
The Russian opponent was transferred last Sunday
to a prison hospital
, located in a penal colony in the Vladimir region.
But according to his lawyers, he is in solitary confinement, without receiving proper treatment.
"
He is very weak, he has difficulty sitting down and speaking,
" said one of his lawyers, Olga Mikhailova, who called for his immediate transfer to a civilian hospital, to "
prevent him from dying
" .
Following this visit, a message from Alexeï Navalny was published on social networks.
The opponent compares himself to a skeleton staggering in his cell, indicates our correspondent in Moscow,
Daniel Vallot
.
“
My lawyer told me about the tremendous support I receive in Russia and around the world.
This moment was extremely precious.
There is no more effective weapon against injustice
”.
The message is released as supporters of the opponent are scheduled to demonstrate across the country on Wednesday. According to the movement that supports Alexeï Navalny, rallies will take place in a hundred cities, despite the ban and the warnings formulated by the authorities. For several days, the supporters of Alexeï Navalny have been targeted by a new series of searches and arrests.
For their part, the United States urged Russia on Tuesday to allow "
independent
"
doctors
to see "
immediately
" the opponent Alexeï Navalny.
Washington once again threatened Moscow with "
consequences
" if anything should happen to him during his detention.
"
Since they are responsible for the deterioration of his state of health, we call on them to immediately allow access to the necessary independent doctors
," said US diplomacy spokesman Ned Price.
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