Russian opposition leader returned to prison

Speculation continues to swirl over the health of Russia's most prominent opposition figure, Aleksei Navalny, despite his release from a Moscow hospital due to an unspecified illness, RFE reported.

The 43-year-old’s physician, Anastasia Vasilyeva, told reporters on Monday (July 29) that Navalny had been released and taken back to prison under guard.

Navalny was rushed to a hospital a day earlier with a rash and severe swelling of the face, sparking fears he had been the victim of a poisoning attempt, though hospital officials characterized the illness as "a generalized allergic reaction."

Navalny's lawyer, Olga Mikhailova, reiterated in front of the hospital after her client's discharge from the medical facility that she believes he had been poisoned by an unidentified chemical agent.

"Aleksei has gotten better after an intense treatment with prednisolone," Vasilyeva said in a statement she issued from the hospital.