Imprisoned critic of the Kremlin Alexey Navalny is in a lot of pain, his lawyer said Thursday after visiting him in prison, adding that allies feared for his life.
“He is suffering from severe back pain and pain in his right leg,” said lawyer Olga Mikhailova in comments on Dozhd television. “Everyone is afraid for their life and health.”
Earlier this month, Navalny was transferred to a prison about 90 miles outside Moscow and placed in isolation, his lawyer Vadim Kobzev told CBS News.
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Navalny was arrested on January 17 immediately after returning to Moscow from Germany, where he recovered from Soviet-era nerve gas poisoning for five months. His arrest sparked weeks of massive protests, with thousands of people gathering on the streets of Russian cities, including the capital, where crowds gathered outside the detention facility where he was held until last week.
Thousands of people have been detained amid fierce clashes with riot police.
Navalny was sentenced to two and a half years in prison last month for violating the terms of a previous suspended sentence. He has always dismissed all charges against him as politically motivated.
Earlier this month, Biden’s government announced it was imposing sanctions about seven senior Russian government officials in response to Navalny’s poisoning and detention.
Alexandra Odynova contributed to this report.