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IMPRISONED RUSSIAN OPPOSITION leader Alexei 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 this 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 the strike after having been examined by non-prison doctors, something he called “huge progress”.
“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.
“Two months ago, my requests for medical help were prompting smirks. I wasn’t given any medications….Thanks to you, now I have been examined by a concilium of civilian doctors twice.”
Navalny said he would start “coming out of the hunger strike” today and the process of ending it will take 24 days.
The 44-year-old politician, who was arrested earlier this year and is serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence, began the hunger strike on 31 March to protest over 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 he said he received effectively no treatment.
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.
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It’s very clear he will be tried to be got rid of in prison. A slow acting poison that will make a death look like natural illness he becomes conveniently struck down with while in prison?
Meanwhile, our own government remains gutless and silent in objection to all this. No condemnation. No asking of questions. The silence is deafening from our government.
@Jeff Rudd: Maybe because its none of there business
@Jeff Rudd: While the situation should rightly be condemned across the board, the Irish government speaking up independantly about anything involving the bigger nations (US, Israel, Saudi, Russia etc) would barely be aknowledged or even heard in these countries. The sad truth of it is we are just not a player in these international goings on. It would be akin to some small Pacific Island Nation condemning our mother & baby home debacle – It wouldn’t even be a blip on the radar of our government. The best we can push for is condemnation on an EU/Security council level.
@Chris Linehan: I agree but they don’t push for that. We object to other states elsewhere to same. Its seems it’s then “our business” then but when it comes to states we are in bed with one way or other, we turn blind eyes too conveniently. Obvious why!
@Jeff Rudd: Russia is a country run by its Security Services and governed by an elite core of extremely wealthy oligarchs. Despite numerous sanctions their wealth has continued to grow, and they won’t let anyone get in their way. Why would they wait to slowly poison him in prison when they have openly killed hundreds of people around the world?
@Jeff Rudd: the only reason people are interested in Navalny is that they need an anti putin symbol. Navalny however is not a politician he is a blogger and not much more in fact when one listens to him it becomes clear that he has little facts and a lot of accusations and is extremely rude and arrogant.
The Irish government and all the other loud ones should try and solve the Assange situation.
@john malonoy: when you see someone doing wrong you should call it out, otherwise all society suffers in the long run, including you.
The end game here for Putin is for Alexei to become “ill” and either die or end up in a coma or something. Then any investigation into it will be inconclusive.
Putin wants any threat to him gone, he’s proven that time and time again.
@Barry Somers: I’m not so sure. The Russian state media hardly cover this story and paint him as a minor irritant. Any world leaders who speak up about it are generally ridiculed for double standards. It seems to be working.
@Adrian O’Donnell: Thats because it is the STATE media, controlled by the Kemsin. No free press in Russia.
@Anne Busher Collins: This is a widely circulated myth that can be dispelled within 5 minutes in the country. There is much less restriction on press in Russia, national or foreign in the last 10 years. Most major foreign publications are widely available. Satellite companies such as Tricolour and Satcraft carry all major news channels such as Fox, CNN, Euronews and BBC world service as well as documentary channels like National Geographic and discovery.
Step number 1 is to get Russians to care. Navalny is a darling of the west and has little or no support back home.
@Chasler: Well 12 people reacted to your comment here, unlike the 3 followers you have on Twitter
@Chasler: no support within Russia except for the countless thousands of people who publicly support him and in doing so endanger their own lives
@Chasler: so long as putin gets checkmated
Where is the outrage at the illegal imprisonment of julian Assange by Britain on behalf of the US?
Double standards.
Navaly is an attention seeking, right wing minor polician, whereas Assange is a hero who is paying a heavy price for having exposed US war crimes.
The outrage over Navalny’s imprisonment and resulting health crisis is an object lesson in imperialist cynicism and intrigue. Those most passionately invoking his democratic rights are the architects of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s continuing and vastly more severe persecution.
@Shedonny: your comment smells of red cabbage found in russian salad
@Shedonny: Agreed. Navalny is a criminal, being empowered by foreign interests and his hunger strike was destined to end not with a bang, but with a whimper. Assange is jailed by criminals for exposing criminals.
I think his exact words were “spicebag me quick”
@Fr Romeo sensini.: “Will ya give us a bag o’ chips there Nikita like a good lad I’m fecking starving.”
Julian assange! Swapping might work
This is good news. Putin and the Kremlin were right to let him see independant doctors. Russia needs a functioning opposition like any modern democracy but especially in a nuclear armed power
Don’t blame him, he must be starving
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