Russian police have stepped up security at the penal colony where opposition leader Alexei Navalny is being held.
Activists want to demonstrate there on Tuesday to demand better medical care for the politician.
On Tuesday morning, agents opened a checkpoint in front of the gate of the complex in Pokrov. The police also blocked the road with a metal barricade. The parking lot may only be used by prison staff. Staff members and journalists must also identify themselves.
A Russian newspaper reported on Monday that Navalny had been transferred to the prison’s infirmary. He had a high temperature and a nasty cough and was also said to have been tested for the coronavirus.
The 44-year-old Kremlin critic had previously complained about back and leg complaints and went on a hunger strike because he would not receive proper medical care.
Supporters of Navalny demand, among other things that he can select a doctor himself. A protester at the prison said she came to show solidarity. “I believe he is innocent; I am completely on his side,” she said. “For some reason, the people who can really make a difference for this country end up in prison.”
