Pussy Riot member Pyotr Verzilov hospitalized in critical condition after arrest

Pyotr Verzilov, associated with the activist collective Pussy Riot and serving as the publisher for Mediazona, was admitted to the hospital in critical condition after being arrested on Monday amid widespread protests across Russia. He was taken into custody close to his residence, while another Pussy Riot member, Veronika Nikulshina, was apprehended in her vehicle. Following their court appearance on September 11, Verzilov's health rapidly declined, leading to loss of vision, speech, and mobility. He began convulsing and became unresponsive, uttering nonsensical phrases in the ambulance. Currently, he is under care in the toxicology unit of Bakhrushin City Clinical Hospital in Moscow, where doctors have not disclosed specifics about his condition or any suspected poisoning to his mother and Nikulshina. Medical personnel have only stated that his condition is serious but showing signs of improvement, as he has started to respond to his name. Nikulshina recounted the situation to Meduza, mentioning that paramedics arrived after Verzilov claimed he had not ingested anything unusual. His family and friends are still waiting for news regarding his health.