Russian authorities within the Arctic metropolis of Salekhard on Saturday handed over the physique of opposition chief Alexei Navalny to his mom.
However, it was unclear what would occur subsequent to the physique. Navalny had died unexpectedly in jail 9 days in the past.
His household and supporters have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of getting him killed, an accusation that the Kremlin has rejected.
He survived a poisoning try in 2020 and years of harsh therapy in jail, together with lengthy spells in solitary confinement.
Navalny’s workforce stated on X on Thursday that his loss of life certificates says he died of pure causes.
In a video recorded earlier than the discharge of the physique, Navalny’s widow Yulia Navalnaya accused “demonic” Putin of “torturing” the corpse of a political opponent.
Navalny’s allies urged supporters “not to relax” and his spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, wrote on X there was no certainty that Russian authorities would let family maintain a funeral “the way the family wants and the way Alexei deserves.”
Leaders of the Group of Seven (G-7) main democracies, in an announcement pledging help for Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy on the second anniversary of the conflict in Ukraine, urged Russia to make clear the circumstances round Navalny’s loss of life absolutely and to free “all unjustly detained prisoners.”
“We will hold those culpable for Navalny’s death accountable, including by continuing to impose restrictive measures in response to human rights violations and abuses in Russia and taking other actions,” the G-7 added.
In her six-minute video printed on YouTube, Navalnaya stated she would proceed the struggle in opposition to Putin’s regime, questioned the president’s religion and accused him of holding her husband’s physique “hostage.”
On Friday, Navalny’s mom Lyudmila stated Russian investigators had been refusing to launch his physique from a morgue in Salekhard till she agreed to put him to relaxation with out a public funeral.
She stated an official had advised her that she ought to conform to their calls for, as Navalny’s physique was already decomposing.
On Saturday, Navalny’s aides stated the authorities had threatened to bury him within the distant jail colony the place he died until his household agreed to their circumstances.
Since returning to the Russian presidency in 2012, Putin has positioned himself as a defender of conventional, conservative values in opposition to what he portrays as corrosive Western liberalism.
He has additionally trumpeted his closeness to Russia’s Orthodox Church, commonly showing at companies round spiritual festivals and talking of his private religion.
Navalnaya stated her husband had been a religious Christian who attended church and fasted for Lent even whereas in jail, including that Christian values had impressed his political activism.
Source: www.dailysabah.com