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| Pussy Riot Activist May Have Been Poisoned, German Doctors Say | Pussy Riot Activist May Have Been Poisoned, German Doctors Say |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| BERLIN — German doctors treating a Pussy Riot activist who lost his sight, speech and mobility after spending time in a court in Moscow said on Tuesday that it was “highly plausible” that he had been poisoned, as their tests had found no evidence that he was suffering from a long-term illness. | BERLIN — German doctors treating a Pussy Riot activist who lost his sight, speech and mobility after spending time in a court in Moscow said on Tuesday that it was “highly plausible” that he had been poisoned, as their tests had found no evidence that he was suffering from a long-term illness. |
| The activist, Pyotr Verzilov, 30, was treated for several days in the toxicology wards of two hospitals in Moscow after falling ill. On Saturday, he was flown to Berlin and admitted to the Charité hospital. His doctors in the German capital told reporters at a news conference that he was in an intensive care unit but was not in life-threatening condition. | The activist, Pyotr Verzilov, 30, was treated for several days in the toxicology wards of two hospitals in Moscow after falling ill. On Saturday, he was flown to Berlin and admitted to the Charité hospital. His doctors in the German capital told reporters at a news conference that he was in an intensive care unit but was not in life-threatening condition. |
| “We are working on the assumption of a poisoning that has lasted about a week,” Dr. Kai-Uwe Eckardt, director of the hospital’s medical center, said. “Test results indicate certain active ingredients, but the exact substance has not yet been determined.” | “We are working on the assumption of a poisoning that has lasted about a week,” Dr. Kai-Uwe Eckardt, director of the hospital’s medical center, said. “Test results indicate certain active ingredients, but the exact substance has not yet been determined.” |
| Allegations of the poisoning of a former Russian spy, Sergei V. Skripal, in Britain in March have injected fresh fears of Cold War-era tactics coming from the Kremlin as a way to silence critics. London accuses Moscow of using a highly sophisticated nerve agent in a botched attempt to assassinate Mr. Skripal, also poisoning his daughter and three others, including one who died. | Allegations of the poisoning of a former Russian spy, Sergei V. Skripal, in Britain in March have injected fresh fears of Cold War-era tactics coming from the Kremlin as a way to silence critics. London accuses Moscow of using a highly sophisticated nerve agent in a botched attempt to assassinate Mr. Skripal, also poisoning his daughter and three others, including one who died. |
| The doctors in Berlin said they had been unable to identify the specific toxin that appeared to be making Mr. Verzilov ill. But they said his symptoms indicated that the active agent appeared to belong to a class of substances that are widely used, including in drops to dilate pupils during eye examinations. | |
| Doctors at the Charité have ordered a lab toxicology report, but said they had little hope of determining the exact substance because of the time elapsed since it was ingested. Also, Mr. Verzilov’s Russian doctors pumped his stomach and cleaned his blood by dialysis, making the original agent more difficult to trace, they said. | Doctors at the Charité have ordered a lab toxicology report, but said they had little hope of determining the exact substance because of the time elapsed since it was ingested. Also, Mr. Verzilov’s Russian doctors pumped his stomach and cleaned his blood by dialysis, making the original agent more difficult to trace, they said. |
| Last Tuesday, Mr. Verzilov, who is a dual Canadian and Russian citizen, spent roughly five hours in a Moscow court building. He had been awaiting the release of Veronika Nikulshina, who is also a member of Pussy Riot, according to a chronology presented by his family. | Last Tuesday, Mr. Verzilov, who is a dual Canadian and Russian citizen, spent roughly five hours in a Moscow court building. He had been awaiting the release of Veronika Nikulshina, who is also a member of Pussy Riot, according to a chronology presented by his family. |
| Immediately after returning home, he began to lose his vision and coordination, said Ms. Nikulshina, his partner, speaking in an interview from Berlin. | Immediately after returning home, he began to lose his vision and coordination, said Ms. Nikulshina, his partner, speaking in an interview from Berlin. |
| At the time, however, Mr. Verzilov chalked it up to extreme fatigue and lay down to rest, she said. When he awoke, they noticed that he had started to slur his speech and she saw his pupils were extremely dilated, leading her to call an ambulance. | At the time, however, Mr. Verzilov chalked it up to extreme fatigue and lay down to rest, she said. When he awoke, they noticed that he had started to slur his speech and she saw his pupils were extremely dilated, leading her to call an ambulance. |
| Dr. Karl Max Einhäupl, the head of the Charité, said that the doctors who had cared for him in Moscow had “done a good job” and been “very cooperative” in sharing information with their colleagues in Berlin. | Dr. Karl Max Einhäupl, the head of the Charité, said that the doctors who had cared for him in Moscow had “done a good job” and been “very cooperative” in sharing information with their colleagues in Berlin. |
| Mr. Verzilov’s mother, Elena Verzolova, and Ms. Nikulshina said they believed he might have been deliberately poisoned by the Russian security authorities. They decided to take him out of Russia, and accompanied him to Berlin. | Mr. Verzilov’s mother, Elena Verzolova, and Ms. Nikulshina said they believed he might have been deliberately poisoned by the Russian security authorities. They decided to take him out of Russia, and accompanied him to Berlin. |
| “I think he will be more safe here,” Ms. Verzolova said, adding that she felt reassured to have a second opinion on his condition. | “I think he will be more safe here,” Ms. Verzolova said, adding that she felt reassured to have a second opinion on his condition. |
| “It would be really dangerous for him to go back, because probably it was assassination attempt — if not it was intimidation — because probably he knew something that he wasn’t supposed to know,” said Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, one of the original Pussy Riot activists, who used to be married to Mr. Verzilov and met the family in Berlin. | “It would be really dangerous for him to go back, because probably it was assassination attempt — if not it was intimidation — because probably he knew something that he wasn’t supposed to know,” said Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, one of the original Pussy Riot activists, who used to be married to Mr. Verzilov and met the family in Berlin. |
| Pussy Riot, widely known as a punk band unsparing in its criticism of President Vladimir V. Putin and the Russian government, gained notoriety in 2012 when three of its members were sentenced to two years in prison on charges of hooliganism, leading to worldwide protests. | Pussy Riot, widely known as a punk band unsparing in its criticism of President Vladimir V. Putin and the Russian government, gained notoriety in 2012 when three of its members were sentenced to two years in prison on charges of hooliganism, leading to worldwide protests. |
| Mr. Verzilov and Ms. Nikulshina were two of the four activists who interrupted the soccer World Cup final on July 15 that was attended by Mr. Putin. They were sentenced to 15 days in jail each. | Mr. Verzilov and Ms. Nikulshina were two of the four activists who interrupted the soccer World Cup final on July 15 that was attended by Mr. Putin. They were sentenced to 15 days in jail each. |
| Two weeks ago, Ms. Nikulshina was once again arrested at a traffic stop and was detained by the police for two nights, she said. On the day he fell ill, Mr. Verzilov and other friends had spent the afternoon in and around the courthouse, waiting for her release. | Two weeks ago, Ms. Nikulshina was once again arrested at a traffic stop and was detained by the police for two nights, she said. On the day he fell ill, Mr. Verzilov and other friends had spent the afternoon in and around the courthouse, waiting for her release. |
| Ms. Tolokonnikova said she believed that her former husband was targeted. “They definitely knew that he would be around,” she said. | Ms. Tolokonnikova said she believed that her former husband was targeted. “They definitely knew that he would be around,” she said. |
| Although both women underline that their theories are mere conjecture, they say they’ve grown weary of heavy-handed state tactics by the police. | |
| “Cops casually come to our apartment, they knock at the door, they ask our neighbors about us; they are influencing our lives and not in a pleasant way,” Ms. Tolokonnikova said. | “Cops casually come to our apartment, they knock at the door, they ask our neighbors about us; they are influencing our lives and not in a pleasant way,” Ms. Tolokonnikova said. |
| Mr. Verzilov’s medical team in Berlin said they expected him to make a full recovery, but they were unable to predict how long it would take. Although his friends and family fear for his safety in Russia, they do not expect him to stay in Berlin after he leaves the hospital. | Mr. Verzilov’s medical team in Berlin said they expected him to make a full recovery, but they were unable to predict how long it would take. Although his friends and family fear for his safety in Russia, they do not expect him to stay in Berlin after he leaves the hospital. |
| “Something tells me once he will be able to buy a ticket back to Russia, he will do it,” Ms. Tolokonnikova said. “It’s a point of honor to stay in Russia and try to make things better.” | “Something tells me once he will be able to buy a ticket back to Russia, he will do it,” Ms. Tolokonnikova said. “It’s a point of honor to stay in Russia and try to make things better.” |