BREAKING: Alexei Navalny's press secretary Kira Yarmysh reports that his condition has seriously...

[demmiblue]

BREAKING: Alexei Navalny’s press secretary Kira Yarmysh reports that his condition has seriously deteriorated and to use her words, “he is dying”. She says he only has a couple of days after this 18 day hunger strike where he’s lost more than 50 pounds. Extremely disturbing news!

Link to tweet

[soothsayer]

1. This just sucks

[Delphinus]

2. Indeed.

It seems the international community should be able to step in and help in some form. I have been concerned since he went back. I'm afraid his death will not bring about the change he would hope.

[LisaL]

7. It would appear he wants to be a martyr.

Why else would he go back, when Russia flat out told everybody they will arrest him if he returns.

[secondwind]

17. He's doing this for all the others who are not doing it.. he believes strongly on his principles.

It's very sad, this news.

[hlthe2b]

3. This is so horrible.

and we (in the West) seem to be so incapable of successfully intervening. Damned depressing.

[LisaL]

6. What would you have us do?

Russia told him he will be arrested if he returned. He returned, and they arrested him.

[hlthe2b]

10. well, I sure as hell won't write posts defending Putin and blaming Navalny, that's for damned sure.

And yes, we are paying for four years of turning our backs on our responsibilities to human rights and toward Russia--and Navalny is the ultimate victim of this.

Sorry, LisaL, but I find your post cold, callous and totally unacceptable.

[LisaL]

12. I am not defending Putin.

But Navalny returning to Russia wasn't going to end well. Did you ever think otherwise?

[hlthe2b]

13. Just because he put himself at risk for the greater cause does not justify his imprisonment & murder

Do you think otherwise?!

[LisaL]

14. He is a Russian citizen, convicted by Russian court and kept in Russian prison.

I am curious as to what you think US can do in such a circumstance? Russia let him out to Germany when he was poisoned. I don't think they will let him out again.

[hlthe2b]

15. Before Trump the US asserted itself along with the world community on humane treatment of dissidents

There are any number of ways to assert pressure--along with our allies-- if the will is there.

Your defending Putin on this is beyond shocking to me.

[LisaL]

16. You keep insisting that I am defending Putin. I am not.

If there is anything US can actually do then of course we should do it.

[BannonsLiver]

21. I think you're confusing defending Putin with being honest about reality.

The reality is as the poster says. Stating that reality is not defending Putin.

[hlthe2b]

22. the poster was blaming Navalny, who I think to be incredibly brave and selfless.

Some here apparently cannot fathom putting country before self, even one's own life to the point they blame him as though he were a mere ideological fool and Putin is just "being Putin." Ignoring our own role in failing to hold Putin accountable the past four years.

I do not understand that callous attitude.

[Polybius]

23. I don't think he was blaming him

The poster was pointing out how it was a dumb idea for him to return to Russia. Now there's nothing anyone can do.

[hlthe2b]

24. Reread my post. Apparently you can't conceive of someone self-sacrificing for a larger cause either

To you, it is simply "dumb."

Have we all become so shallow?

This is a tragic situation, but to deride his sacrifice as nothing more than DUMB? Really?

[Polybius]

25. Saying it's a dumb idea isn't calling him dumb

It's not shallow to point it out, he put himself in this situation. It was a terrible decision. Doesn't mean I don't like him.

[hlthe2b]

26. You act as though he did not know exactly what would happen. He did. This is his sacrifice.

To you, it is "dumb," because we Americans have lost the concept of self-sacrifice to the point that for many, anything more than mild inconvenience is unthinkable. The WWII generation has died out and the younger cannot conceive of doing something so dangerous, so "dumb" for the greater good. Hell, even wearing a layer of cloth across one's face is beyond thinkable for so many of our people today.

I may not agree with his method, but I respect him and would NEVER deride his sacrifice even while I'm saddened that the combined power of Western nations has not been brought to bear to assert the repercussions to Putin that might keep Navalny alive.--

[Polybius]

27. I know he knew

But nothing is gonna come out of this because Russia won't change. Never said I didn't respect him.

[demmiblue]

4. Doctors Warn That Jailed Russian Opposition Leader Navalny At Immediate Risk Of Cardiac Arrest

Jailed Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny's health has rapidly deteriorated and he could suffer cardiac arrest "any minute," according to doctors demanding immediate access to the prominent Kremlin critic.

The plea came from Navalny's personal doctor, Anastasia Vasilyeva, and three other doctors, including a cardiologist, in a letter to Russia's Federal Prison Service officials that was posted to Vasilyeva's Twitter account on April 17.

Navalny, 44, announced a hunger strike at the end of last month in protest at what he said was the refusal of prison authorities to allow him to receive proper medical care for acute back and leg pain.

The opposition leader said on April 16 that prison authorities were threatening to put him in a straightjacket to force-feed him.

The doctors' statement said that blood tests showed that Navalny's potassium count had reached a "critical level."

"This means both impaired renal function and that serious heart rhythm problems can happen any minute," the letter said.

https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-navalny-health-cardiac-arrest/31209000.html

[TreasonousBastard]

5. This is another reason why a working "world court" is necessary. Too bad we won't...

see one in our lifetimes.

[ColinC]

8. I wish he just never went back.

[uponit7771]

9. +1,

[stillcool]

11. suicide by Putin...

sad when someone has nothing to live for, and everything to die for.

[Deminpenn]

18. When he returned to Russia, Navalny choose to

be a martyr. Surely he knew he would not survive long there.

[roamer65]

19. President Biden needs to get involved.

You have Navalny on a plane to the United States in 24 hours or you start losing BILLIONS of dollars in permanently confiscated assets every hour after that 24 hours.

If Navalny dies, we need to close all Russian embassies and consulates. Send all diplomats packing and start the arrest of any Russians here in the states with ties to Putin. Pack them on planes and send them back.

I am an old anti-Russian just like former Senator Henry “Scoop” Jackson of WA.

[BannonsLiver]

20. He was a fool to go back to Russia.

[oasis]

28. I find it hard to figure out why he did. nt