Navalny, who was poisoned... "Russian court ordered asset freeze while he was near death"

Civil lawsuit raises safety concerns over school meal company owned by Russian chaebol
Bank accounts and homes frozen
Lawsuit filed by Russian chaebol known as Putin's chef

[Asia Economy Reporter Naju-seok] It has been confirmed that Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny, who was poisoned and receiving treatment in Germany, has had both his home and bank deposits frozen. This is because the Russian court issued an order to seize Navalny's assets while he was in critical condition due to poisoning.

On the 24th (local time), Navalny's lawyer stated that Navalny's assets were frozen due to a civil lawsuit filed by the catering company "Moscow School," owned by Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin. Prigozhin is a Russian catering tycoon close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and was known as "Putin's chef."

The asset freezing procedure took place on the 27th of last month while Navalny was in a coma and receiving intensive care at a hospital in Berlin, Germany. Navalny's side reportedly confirmed the court's decision belatedly.

Navalny, who has operated an anti-corruption foundation exposing corruption in Russia, had accused Prigozhin's catering company "Moscow School" of problems in the food preparation process. Navalny's side pointed out that many students fell ill after eating food from Moscow School. Prigozhin filed a lawsuit claiming damages caused by Navalny and the anti-corruption foundation's accusations. According to the American daily newspaper The New York Times (NYT), Prigozhin said last month, "If Navalny loses his life, then I will no longer pursue him."

Navalny's lawyer said, "The Russian court ignored the children who were harmed and sided with Prigozhin, and now it has frozen the house and bank accounts of the unconscious Navalny," adding, "This is the current state of the Russian judiciary."

Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny [Photo by EPA Yonhap News]

Navalny collapsed and fell into a coma on a Russian passenger plane heading from Siberia to Moscow on the 20th of last month. The plane made an emergency return, and he was hospitalized and treated in Russia. As suspicions of poisoning grew, a German civic group proposed treatment for Navalny, and he was subsequently treated at Charit? Hospital in Berlin, Germany.

The German government claimed, based on investigations by federal military research facilities, that Navalny was poisoned with the nerve agent Novichok, developed for military use during the Soviet era. Russia denies the related allegations.

Navalny was discharged on the 23rd but is still reported to be experiencing difficulties with balance and handwriting. Although Navalny has expressed his intention to return to Russia, he is currently receiving outpatient treatment in Germany.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.