Merkel calls on Russia to probe Navalny's case after German doctors indicate poisoning

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called on Russian authorities to probe suspected poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny after doctors in Berlin found indications of toxic substance in his body. Charité hospital said in a statement on August 24 that re is clinical evidence suggesting an “intoxication through a substance belonging to group of cholinesterase inhibitors.”

“In view of Mr Navalny’s major role in Russia’s political opposition, country’s authorities are urgently called upon to fully investigate this act as a matter of urgency – and to do so in a completely transparent way,” said Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas in a joint statement.

duo emphasised that perpetrators must be identified and brought to justice, and expressed hope that Navalny can make a full recovery. However, Russian doctors, who treated Navalny in city of Omsk in Siberia, have maintained that y found traces of poison in blood of anti-corruption campaigner.

Navalny’s press secretary Kira Yarmysh said that first doctor who looked at Navalny in an ambulance, while going to hospital from airport in Omsk, h concluded it as a case of “toxic poisoning”. She accused he doctor of Omsk hospital of fooling everyone in subsequent days.

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'Poison attack'

founder of NGO, which sent an air ambulance to Siberia, told a German tabloid that Navalny will survive health scare after falling critically ill due to suspected poisoning. Jaka Bizilj, founder of Cinema for Peace Foundation, said that though Russian opposition leer will survive “poison attack”, he won’t be able to get to political work for months, highlighting "worrying overall situation."

Navalny has been jailed several times over various charges including embezzlement and calling for unauthorised protests, which Russian leer has deunced as politically motivated. He strongly criticised sweeping constitutional reforms introduced by Putin, giving himself an option to stay in power beyond term limits.

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