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Medics refuse twice to hospitalise opposition leader

Udaltsov was nabbed at the Patriarshie Prudy (Patriarch Ponds) on May 9 in downtown Moscow
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, May 13 (Itar-Tass) — Left Front coordinator Sergei Udaltsov was brought twice to Moscow hospitals over one day in connection with the deteriorating state of health, caused by a dry hunger strike in protest against a charge, uder which he was sentenced to 15 days behind bars, Itar-Tass learnt on Sunday from his defence lawyer Violetta Volkova.

“Udaltsov twice called ambulances, and he was brought to Moscow hospitals (Eds: Nos.55 and 13). However, he was refused twice to be hospitalised, since doctors did not find any grounds to leave him at hospitals,” he said.

Volkova noted that medics regard the dry hunger strike the reason for Udaltsov’s poor indisposition. They do not deny at the same time that the opposition leader really has problems with the stomach.

Medics explained their refusal on the grounds that Udaltsov should stop his dry hunger strike and start taking meals often,” Volkova continued.

However, according to the lawyer, the opposition leader does not intend to start eating and will continue the dry hunger strike.

In the lawyer’s words,Udaltov is still at a hospital, but he will be returned soon to a special police ward for administrative detention.

Earlier, a magistrate’s court ruled the opposition leader guilty of violating Article 19.3 of the Russian Administrative Violations Code (“Disobedience of a legal order by a police officer”) and sentenced him to a maximum punishment of 15 days of detention.

Udaltsov was nabbed at the Patriarshie Prudy (Patriarch Ponds) on May 9 in downtown Moscow where opposition members tried to stage unauthorised protest “unlimited popular holiday-making”.