- Title: Kremlin rejects 'provocative' calls for pro-Navalny protests
- Date: 19th April 2021
- Summary: MONTREUX, SWITZERLAND (APRIL 19, 2021) (REUTERS FOR AGENCY POOL) (SOUNDBITE) (English) UEFA PRESIDENT ALEKSANDER CEFERIN SAYING: "We got information about some secret talks for months, but we trusted people we are... we might be naive but for me it's always better to be naive than to be a liar. And we didn't believe it can happen because you have to know we've negotiated f
- Embargoed: 3rd May 2021 14:18
- Keywords: Alexei Navalny Kremlin critic Russia health condition hunger strike jail prison protests
- Location: MOSCOW AND UNKNOWN LOCATION, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW AND UNKNOWN LOCATION, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001E96U8G7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Kremlin said on Monday (April 19) it did not accept what it called provocative calls for nationwide protests in support of jailed opposition politician Alexei Navalny, whose health has gravely deteriorated while on hunger strike in prison.
Speaking to reporters on a conference call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said unauthorized rallies in support of Navalny would be considered illegal by the authorities.
Navalny's allies have announced plans for what they hope will be the largest protests in modern Russian history on Wednesday. The United States has warned Russia it will pay a price if he dies in jail from his hunger strike.
Peskov, who said he did not have any information regarding Navalny's health condition, added that President Vladimir Putin could not take any action to monitor the health of Russian prisoners.
Navalny, 44, started refusing food on March 31 in protest at what he said was the refusal of prison authorities to provide him with adequate medical care for acute leg and back pain.
Russia's prison authority said on Monday it had decided to transfer him to a hospital for prisoners.
(Production: Elena Ostrovskaya) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None