U.N. rights chief urges Russia to investigate Navalny case

FILE PHOTO: Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny takes part in a rally to mark the 5th anniversary of opposition politician Boris Nemtsov's murder and to protest against proposed amendments to the country's constitution, in Moscow, Russia February 29, 2020. REUTERS/Shamil Zhumatov

GENEVA (Reuters) - The top United Nations human rights official called on Russia on Tuesday to conduct, or cooperate with, a full independent investigation into Germany's findings that opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent.

Navalny has been removed from a medically induced coma and is responding to speech, Berlin's Charite hospital said on Monday. The hospital has been treating Navalny since he was airlifted to Germany after falling ill on a Russian domestic flight last month.