They are preparing to initiate a new criminal case against Alexei Navalny, lawyer Vadim Kobzev said . According to him, Navalny was the victim of a provocation with a cellmate, about which the defense warned the day before.
Here is how Kobzev described what happened:
“Yesterday, the administration of the colony where Navalny is imprisoned nevertheless staged that provocation, about the preparation of which one of the employees had previously warned him. I wrote about this on April 11th.
When Navalny was brought from the working cell to his usual one, he discovered that his permanent neighbor, the "homeless man", was again placed there, this time brought to a completely animal state. The smell in the cell was such that it was impossible to enter it. Navalny refused to enter the cell and told the administration (on the video recorder) that a provocation was being carried out against him. The administration, knowing that according to the prison rules, he must use violence against his cellmate and drive him out of the cell, deliberately provokes him in order to have a reason to initiate a criminal case.
He stated that he did not want to use violence against the convicted Tatarchenko (the same homeless man), because he himself is a tool in the hands of the jailers.
Therefore, he refused to enter the cell, however, if he is forced to enter there by force, he will immediately use force against his cellmate, which he declares right now under the video recording.
Therefore, he demands that, in accordance with the law, the on-duty assistant to the head of the colony (who was present on the spot) received information about the threat to the health of the convict, immediately made a decision to ensure his safety and moved him to a safe place.
This was not done. Instead, the colony's deputy chief for operational work and a group of operatives who arrived at the scene first threatened Navalny, and then called a response team in bulletproof vests and helmets. After that, force was applied to Navalny, and he was dragged into the cell
During this, Navalny, who did not offer any resistance, received a knee in the groin (also recorded on video). Once in the cell, Navalny did not use violence against his cellmate, however, grabbing him by the collar, he dragged him to the exit.
After that, he was blocked and pressed against the wall by the response team. Well, then the authorities of the colony who were present happily informed Navalny that a criminal case would be initiated against him under Article 321 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (disorganization of the activities of institutions that ensure isolation from society, up to 5 years in prison), and they went to draw up papers, taking the unfortunate homeless person with them .
Navalny's defense is outraged by such a frank, brazen and cynical provocation. We demand an immediate response from the leadership of the Federal Penitentiary Service and the prosecutor's office."
In the first half of April, it was reported that Navalny lost 8 kg in 15 days, and also that he had an aggravated stomach ailment that was not being treated. The lawyer did not rule out that they were trying to poison him.
“This may sound like nonsense and paranoia for someone else, but not for Navalny after Novichok,” Kobzev said at the time.
On April 11, it became known that Alexei Navalny was sent to the ShIZO for 15 days for the 13th time. He spent only two days in an ordinary cell – Saturday and Sunday.