Russia: State doctors deny opposition figure poisoned

MOSCOW

Government doctors announced on Wednesday that they found no toxic agents in the blood of Russian opposition Alexey Navalny.

The results of medical tests were announced on Wednesday by Alexey Tokarev, chief medical officer of the Sklifosovsky Scientific Research Institute of First Aid in Moscow.

Navalny, 43, was arrested last weekend for participating in an unauthorized rally.

He was hospitalized early last Sunday with his family doctor, Anastasia Vasilyeva, saying he could have been poisoned and Russian intelligence services may have had a role in alleged poisoning.

Eldar Kazahmedov, a consulting physician at the hospital, ruled out the possibility of poisoning, asserting that Navalny's symptoms were that of an allergic reaction.

Navalny is a vociferous critic of President Vladimir Putin and is regularly arrested for organizing protest rallies.