Jailed Russian opposition leader Navalny to end hunger strike
Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny recovered from a near-fatal poisoning attack last year only to again be on the brink of death while on hunger strike in a Russian prison in a bid to access medical care for his other ailments.
FILE PHOTO: Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny stands inside a glass cell during a court hearing at the Babushkinsky district court in Moscow, on February 20, 2021.
Imprisoned opposition leader Alexey Navalny has said he is ending his hunger strike after getting medical attention and being warned by his doctors that continuing it would be life-threatening.
In an Instagram post on Friday afternoon, the 24th day of his hunger strike, Navalny said he will continue to demand a visit from his doctor to address a loss of sensation in his legs and arms — the main demand the politician announced when he launched his hunger strike.
But he said he would stop refusing food after getting examined by non-prison doctors.
“Thanks to the huge support of good people across the country and around the world, we have made huge progress,” Navalny said in his message.
"I have now been examined twice by a panel of civilian doctors. The last time was just before the rally. They are doing tests and analyses and giving me the results and conclusions," he wrote.
READ MORE: Navalny doctors denied access to jailed critic despite deteriorating health
Nationwide protests
The 44-year-old politician, who was arrested earlier this year and is serving a 2.5-year sentence, began the hunger strike on March 31 to protest prison authorities’ refusal to let his doctors visit after he developed severe back pain and numbness in his legs.
Officials insisted Navalny was getting all the medical help he needs, but Navalny said he received effectively no treatment.
Navalny's failing health had drawn expressions of alarm from Western governments.
The United States had warned Moscow it would face "consequences" if he died.
On Wednesday night, another round of mass protests demanding his freedom swept across Russia.
A top aide said Wednesday night’s protests seemed to have brought a compromise from Russian authorities on getting Navalny the medical help he had demanded when launching the hunger strike.
Navalny, who is President Vladimir Putin’s most well-known critic, was arrested in January upon his return from Germany, where he had spent five months recovering from a nerve agent poisoning he blames on the Kremlin — accusations that Russian officials reject.
READ MORE: Nearly 1,500 reportedly detained as Putin warns West of 'red line'
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