Navalny 'won't be allowed to die in prison', says Russian envoy to UK

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny began hunger strike on March 31 to demand medical treatment

In a handout picture released by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Ambassador of Russia to the United Kingdom Andrei Kelin speaks during a pre-recorded interview with British journalist Andrew Marr in London on April 16, 2021 to be broadcast on the BBC Sunday political programme The Andrew Marr Show. Britain said April 18 that it "stands in full support of our Czech allies" after Prague expelled 18 Russian diplomats identified as secret agents of the Russian intelligence services suspected of involvement in a 2014 explosion. Britain on April 15 said it had summoned Russian ambassador in the UK Andrei Kelin to express its deep concern at what it called Moscow's "pattern of malign activity". Kelin told BBC's Andrew Marr Show broadcast on April 18 that he "hadn't seen Secretary Raab for more than a year. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT " AFP PHOTO / JEFF OVERS-BBC " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS TO REPORT ON THE BBC PROGRAMME OR EVENT SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION - NO ARCHIVE - NO USE AFTER MAY 9 , 2021 / AFP / BBC / Jeff OVERS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT " AFP PHOTO / JEFF OVERS-BBC " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS TO REPORT ON THE BBC PROGRAMME OR EVENT SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION - NO ARCHIVE - NO USE AFTER MAY 9 , 2021

In a handout picture released by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Ambassador of Russia to the United Kingdom Andrei Kelin speaks during a pre-recorded interview with British journalist Andrew Marr in London on April 16, 2021. AFP/ Jeff Overs - BBC

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The National
Apr 18, 2021
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Hunger-striking Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny "will not be allowed to die in prison", Moscow's ambassador in London told the BBC on Sunday.

Navalny, 44, the Kremlin's most prominent opponent, began a hunger strike on March 31 to demand proper medical treatment for back pain and numbness in his legs and hands.

"Of course, he will not be allowed to die in prison but I can say that Mr Navalny, he behaves like a hooligan," ambassador Andrei Kelin said.

"His public purpose, all of that, is to attract attention for him also by saying that today his left hand is sick. Tomorrow, his leg is sick."

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Navalny was arrested in January on his return to Russia after recovering from a near-fatal poisoning he says was orchestrated by Moscow.

On Saturday, his doctors said his health had rapidly deteriorated and demanded that prison officials grant them immediate access.

"If he will behave normally, he will have a chance to be released earlier," Mr Kelin said.

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