Hunger-striking Russian opposition leader Navalny says prison officials threatening to force-feed him

Moscow — Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, who's been on hunger strike for more than two weeks, said on Friday that prison officials had threatened to force-feed him. Last month the fierce critic of President Vladimir Putin announced that he would stop eating to demand proper medical care after complaining of back pain and numbness in his legs.

"This morning, a woman colonel stood over me and she said: Your blood test indicates a serious deterioration in health and risk," Navalny, 44, said in an Instagram post made on his behalf by his team. "If you do not give up on your hunger strike, then we are ready to move on to force-feeding," the post quoted the prison official as saying. According to Navalny, he was warned that the process of force-feeding involved the use of a strait jacket. The prison service wasn't immediately available for comment.