Russia's opposition leader Alexei Navalny caught on camera drinking alleged poisoned tea

Russia opposition leader Alexei Navalny was caught on camera while drinking the alleged poisoned tea, hours before he fell unconscious due to suspected poisoning on August 20. Navalny’s spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said that the anti-corruption campaigner fell ill during a flight and the plane had to make an emergency landing in Omsk.

"We suspect that Alexei was poisoned by something mixed into [his] tea. It was the only thing he drank since morning. Doctors are saying that the toxic agent absorbed faster through the hot liquid. Right now Alexei is unconscious,” she said.

Navalny caught on camera drinking 'tea'

An Instagram user djpavlin claimed that he captured Navalny on his camera while he was drinking tea in the morning and later uploaded as his Instagram Story.  

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Poisoning allegations

Referring to an incident of an acute allergic reaction, Yarmysh said that Navalny was poisoned a year ago when he was in a detention centre and accused the current regime of doing it again. The 44-year-old politician has served several jail terms for organising anti-government protests and has strongly criticised the constitutional reforms introduced by Putin.

The Russian President has introduced a package of constitutional reforms with giving himself an option to stay in power beyond term limits. Navalny described the referendum on constitutional reforms as a "coup" and a "violation of the constitution" as Putin wields unprecedented power in the country.

Navalny was arrested and kept in detention in 2012 and 2014 for leading anti-government protests, which the European Court of Human Rights had denounced as politically motivated and called it a violation of human rights. The court noted that the governments can have legal requirements to seek authorisation for assemblies, any interference with free assembly has to have a “legitimate aim...such as the prevention of crime or disorder or protecting the rights of others.”

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