Russia's opposition leader Alexei Navalny 'poisoned', currently in ICU

Russia’s opposition leer Alexei Navalny is in intensive care after he fell “unconscious” due to suspected poisoning, his spokesperson said on August 20. Kira Yarmysh tweeted that anti-corruption campaigner, also a staunch critic of President Vlimir Putin, fell ill during a flight and plane me an emergency landing in Omsk.

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

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 current regime of doing it again. 44-year-old politician has served several jail terms for organising anti-government protests and has strongly criticised constitutional reforms introduced by Putin.

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

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Several arrests

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

Human Rights Watch said that Russian authorities have been tightening ir grip on dissent and peaceful protest, including by opting new laws with stricter rules on protests and harsher penalties for violations. Rachel Denber, Deputy Director, Europe and Central Asia Division, wrote in a blog that Russia’s government would do better if it listened to se concerns rar than spend extensive resources seeking to silence those who voice m.

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(Im credit: AP)