A member of Russia’s Pussy Riot protest group says a fellow activist who was hospitalised for possible poisoning has regained consciousness.

Group member Maria Alekhina told the Associated Press via Facebook that Pyotr Verzilov regained consciousness on Friday, but remained in intensive care. Verzilov has been in the hospital since falling ill on Tuesday.

Alekhina said she thought he was definitely poisoned and “there’s nothing other than politics” behind it.

The independent Russian news website Meduza reported on Thursday that Verzilov’s doctors told his relatives he either overdosed on medicine or was given too much medicine. Meduza did not specify the substance.

Verzilov and other activists served 15-day jail sentences for disrupting July’s World Cup final to protest excessive Russian police powers.