Russia: At least 5 regional coordinators working for Alexei Navalny arrested

At least five former co-ordinates of jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny’s network have been detained nationwide, marking the latest crackdown by the Putin administration on the opposition. According to Radio Free Asia, the mass detentions were made in the aftermath of raids conducted on each of their houses and offices by the Russian Investigative Committee. Those arrested included the chief of Navalny’s regional campaign group as well as other regional coordinators.

On 28 December, law enforcers raided the house of Zakhar Sarapulov, who headed the Irkutsk headquarters of Navalny’s network of regional campaign groups. According to RFA, the opposition worker was subsequently detained by the Russian Investigative Committee. Meanwhile, the police conducted a separate raid on the office of Navalny’s banned movement in Tomsk where it detained its former head Kseniya Fadeyeva. In Saratov, regional coordinator Andrei Gorodetsky and in Barnaul, Vadim Ostanin were also arrested, according to Russian Media.

Vladimir Putin administration has arrested thousands of Navalny Supporters, who have called out for his release, despite warnings by the international community. It is imperative to note that the Kremlin critic was, on January 17, detained at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport following his return from the German capital Berlin. Navalny, President Vladimir’s top critic, was undergoing medical treatment after getting what German authorities declared as poisoning with a Russian nerve agent of Novichok Group. Earlier in December, Russia’s Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) had warned Navalny of a prison term if he did not report back immediately. However, boarding his flight earlier last week, the 44-year-old said that he didn’t think he would be arrested.

Navalny's deteriorating health

For days in detention, Navalny has held multiple hunger strikes to demand proper medical treatment for back pain and numbness in his legs and hands. On April 17, his doctors warned that the Putin critic was at risk of cardiac arrest and could die “any minute”. Elaborating on the same, his personal doctor Anastasia Vasilyeva, along with three others- cardiologist Yaroslav Ashikhmin, have argued that the potassium level in Navalny’s blood was substantially above the average and could kill him. 

(With inputs from AP)

(Image: AP)