Russian activist in hospital after being 'poisoned'

IANS  |  Moscow 

A member of the Russian group Riot who ran on to the pitch during the World Cup final, is in intensive care in hospital after losing his vision and being unable to walk, the group said on Thursday.

"Our friend, brother, comrade is in reanimation," Riot tweeted, using the common Russian translation for intensive care.

"His life is in danger. We think that he was poisoned."

Verzilov reportedly fell ill after he attended a court hearing with Veronika Nikulshina, a member of Riot, on Wednesday.

Over a period of two hours "he got worse exponentially", Nikulshina told Russian news outlet Meduza later in the night.

"First his sight, then his ability to speak, then even his ability to walk," she added.

Verzilov was one of four members of the group to invade the pitch, dressed in a police officer's uniform, during final between and on July 15.

It was part of a against brutality after a series of torture allegations were reported from prisons and police interrogation rooms across the country, said.

Verzilov has been involved in art in for more than a decade, participating in both the Voina art collective and the formation of

He also became the publisher of Mediazona, an independent which focuses on court cases and conditions in Russian prisons.

--IANS

ksk/bg

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First Published: Thu, September 13 2018. 15:02 IST