The body of prominent Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny has been handed over to his mother, according to his spokesperson.
This development follows reports that she was pressured to agree to a “secret” burial, or else Navalny would be buried at the prison colony where he passed away.
In a post on X, Navalny’s spokesperson Kira Yarmysh expressed gratitude to everyone who advocated for the return of his body.
“The funeral is yet to take place,” she wrote. “We don’t know whether the authorities will interfere with it being carried out in the way the family wants and as Alexei deserves.”
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Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila, has spent the past week in the town near the prison where he died, first trying to confirm the location of his body and then demanding its return to her.
After signing a death certificate citing natural causes, Alexei Navalny’s mother was given a three-hour ultimatum to agree to a “secret” funeral for her son, as disclosed by Navalny’s spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh. She was informed that refusal would result in Navalny being buried within the prison grounds where he died.
However, Lyudmila Navalny reportedly refused to negotiate with the authorities.
That Saturday, Navalny’s widow, Yulia, had earlier accused Vladimir Putin of holding her late husband’s body “hostage” and demanded its release unconditionally.
She reiterated her accusation that the Russian president was responsible for her husband’s death.
The Kremlin has denied these allegations, dismissing Western reactions to the death as “hysterical.”
Navalny passed away on February 16 in a Russian prison located inside the Arctic Circle. He had long been one of the most prominent critics of the Russian leader.
In August 2020, Navalny was poisoned with the Novichok nerve agent by Russian secret service operatives. After receiving treatment in Germany, he returned to Russia in January 2021 and was subsequently imprisoned.
Efforts to commemorate his death have been met with a strong response from Russian authorities, including the removal of makeshift memorials and the arrest of hundreds of individuals.
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