Navalny Says He’s Ending Three-Week Hunger Strike After Doctors Told Him He’s Dying
The Russian opposition leader’s announcement came a day after doctors warned him that he’s in imminent danger of death.

Reuters/Henry Nicholls
Alexei Navalny, the imprisoned nemesis of Vladimir Putin, has announced that he’s bringing an end to his three-week hunger strike after doctors warned him that he’s in imminent danger of death. Navalny, the leader of Russia’s opposition, was jailed in February and went on hunger strike at the start of April in an attempt to force prison authorities into giving him medical attention for acute back pain and leg numbness. His doctors issued a statement Thursday that warned: “If the hunger strike continues even for a minimal amount of time, unfortunately, we will simply have no one to treat soon.” Navalny wrote on Instagram on Friday that the warnings “seem worthy of attention,” so he’d end his strike. “Thanks to the huge support of good people across the country and around the world, we have made huge progress,” wrote the 44-year-old politician. However, he added that he is not dropping his demand for a visit from his personal doctor.
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