EU Foreign Ministers To Discuss Navalny's Health At Monday Meeting

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th April, 2021) EU foreign ministers will discuss Alexey Navalny's health at a meeting in Brussels on Monday amid reports that the health of the Russian opposition activist has deteriorated while in prison.

"The European Union will revert to this issue during the upcoming meeting of EU Foreign Ministers on Monday, 19 April," a statement attributed to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell read Sunday.

Navalny's defense team says he is suffering from severe back pain. The 44-year-old has been diagnosed with two spinal hernias but has refused the treatment offered by the prison authority.

The EU has again demanded that Navalny, who was given a 2.5-year prison term in February on financial misconduct charges, be freed unconditionally, calling his sentencing politically motivated.

The EU sanctioned six senior Russian officials last fall over their alleged role in what it sees as an attempt to poison Navalny. Russia called them illegal and warned Brussels that it was driving bilateral relations into a dead end.