Moscow City Court Press OfficeTASS via Getty Images
Russia detained two of opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s closest allies, their lawyers said, ahead of planned protests over his health.
Reuters reported that Lyubov Sobol, who had appeared on Navalny’s YouTube channel; and Kira Yarmysh, his spokeswoman, were detained in Moscow.
Navalny’s team had urged people to protest over his treatment in jail and demand that he get medical treatment.
Navalny is three weeks into a hunger srike over what he says is a lack of access to medical treatment while in jail.
His doctors are demanding to see him, saying the strike puts him at risk of severe heart problems and he could “die any minute.” But several doctors, including his personal physician Dr. Anastasia Vasilyeva, said they were denied entry into his prison to see him.
Navalny also said that prison authorities threatened to force feed him.
Navalny is serving a 2-1/2-year sentence after being found guilty of missing parole meetings. His lawyer said he missed the them because he was in Germany recovering from being poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent. Navalny has blamed the poisoning on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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