Russian doctors address Putin, demand necessary medical treatment for Navalny

A group of Russian doctors has addressed Vladimir Putin, demanding that the abuse aimed at the imprisoned opposition politician Alexey Navalny be stopped and that Navalny receive all necessary medical treatment. The open letter was published by Alexander Vanyukov, a doctor, on his Facebook.

“The conditions of Navalny’s incarceration, as well as his appearance, cause us to be greatly concerned about his life and health,” reads the open letter. The fact that the prison guards refuse to hand over medicines prepared for Navalny threatens his life, the doctors believe.

“From the medical point of view there is no doubt that Alexey is not getting enough medical treatment, and being held in punitive confinement is absolutely counter-indicative in his condition.

We demand that the abuse aimed at Alexey Navalny be stopped, we demand that he be no longer sent into punitive confinement, and we also demand that civilian doctors be allowed to see him and admit him to a civilian hospital for full-fledged examination and treatment should it be required,

reads the open letter currently signed by over 30 doctors. Medics willing to add their signature are welcome to join.

Navalny’s lawyer reported that Alexey had fallen ill with a temperature, fever and cough, earlier in December.