Navalny: From Poisoning To Hunger Strike

Moscow, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Apr, 2021 ) :Russia's most prominent opposition leader Alexei Navalny recovered from a near-fatal poisoning attack last year only to again be on the brink of death while on hunger strike in a Russian prison.

As international pressure on Moscow mounts and EU foreign ministers at a virtual meeting Monday warn the bloc holds the Kremlin "responsible" for Navalny's health, here is a timeline.

- Coma - The 44-year-old anti-corruption campaigner is hospitalised on August 20, 2020 in Omsk, Siberia, after losing consciousness during a flight.

Put into a medically induced coma, he is transferred two days later to a Berlin hospital at his family's request.

- Novichok - Berlin says on September 2 that tests carried out by a German army laboratory yielded "unequivocal evidence" that he was poisoned with Novichok, a Soviet-era chemical weapon.

- Kremlin denial - Two days later the Kremlin rejects claims it was behind the poisoning.

On September 7, Navalny emerges from the coma.

- Labs confirm poisoning - French and Swedish laboratories confirm Germany's findings that Novichok was used.

Putin condemns "unsubstantiated" accusations.

- Putin accused - Navalny accuses Putin of being behind his poisoning after he is discharged from hospital on September 22.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov calls his claims "groundless and unacceptable".

- Spooks stung - Navalny releases a recording in October of him tricking a Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) agent into confessing that he tried to kill him.

The FSB describes the phone call as a "provocation".

- Defiant return - Navalny says he plans to return home despite a threat of jail.

He is detained on January 17 shortly after landing in Moscow.

- 'Putin's palace' - Navalny releases a video of his investigation into a lavish Black Sea property he claims is owned by Putin.

It goes viral as Putin denies it is his.

The authorities round up Navalny's allies.

- Protests and prison - In late January tens of thousands of demonstrators demand Navalny's release.

Police detain thousands.

On February 2 Navalny is handed a near three-year prison term.

- Diplomatic crisis - On February 5, the Kremlin expels German, Swedish and Polish diplomats for supporting Navalny.

The three countries expel Russian diplomats in return.

- Rights court weighs in - The European Court of Human Rights orders Russia to release Navalny "with immediate effect" on February 17. Russia accuses it of "interference".

- Appeal denied - Three days later a Moscow court dismisses Navalny's appeal, but reduces the sentence to two-and-a-half years.

Separately he is convicted of defamation and fined 850,000 rubles (around 9,500 Euros).

The EU on February 22 sanctions four senior Russian officials.

- Penal colony - On February 26 Navalny is sent to a penal colony. Authorities say he is in the Vladimir region some 200 kilometres (124 miles) east of Moscow.

Washington on March 2 sanctions seven senior Russians and says its intelligence concluded that Moscow was behind Navalny's poisoning.

Navalny says on March 15 he is locked up in a "real concentration camp" and accuses Russian authorities of torture by depriving him of sleep in prison.

- Hunger strike - On March 31, Navalny announces a hunger strike to demand proper medical treatment.

After more than two weeks his doctors say his condition has rapidly deteriorated and he could go into cardiac arrest and "die any minute".

On April 18 the US warns Moscow of "consequences" if Navalny dies in prison.

France, Germany and the European Union join the growing international chorus of protest at Navalny's plight.

On Monday Russia's prison service says Navalny will be transferred to a hospital for inmates but deems his condition to be "satisfactory".

A massive demonstrations in support of Navalny is planned Wednesday evening, just hours after Putin gives his state of the nation address.