Russian authorities have decided to extend the investigation into the death of Putin's adversary Alexei Navalny, who died in prison last Friday, again delaying the release of the activist's body to his family. According to information provided by the activist's spokesperson, writer Kira Yarmish, Navalny's mother cannot enter the morgue and is barred from accessing her son's body. The ban also extends to details of the activist's lawyers and spokespersons.
“The investigative team informed the mother and prosecutors that the investigation into Navalny's death is ongoing. They did not say how long. The cause of death is still 'unknown,'” writes Kira Yarmish. The social network (formerly Twitter) is Monday morning. Navalny's widow traveled to Brussels to meet with EU diplomatic leaders.
Navalny's death was made public on Friday, after Russian authorities had already denied the family's requests to hand over the activist's body on Saturday. Navalny's body can only be viewed by a third party once forensic tests are completed to determine the cause of Navalny's death. In a video posted on social media last Saturday, Kira Yarmish says she has no doubt that Navalny was murdered.
Alexei NavalnyA prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin died in prison on Friday at the age of 47. Navalny is serving a 30-year prison sentence for multiple crimes, which the activist said was only fueled by his opposition to the regime.
Navalny was arrested in Russia in 2021, shortly after returning from Germany, where he was recovering from a poison attack he suffered in 2020. Last summer, he was sentenced to another 19 years in prison. Of the 11-and-a-half-year sentence he had already served, Alexei Navalny said he was “serving a life sentence” — until the end of his life or the end of his regime. He died a month before Russia's presidential election, which would have given Putin another six years in power.
The activist's death brought thousands of people to the streets around the world. In Russia, despite a heavy crackdown on protests critical of Vladimir Putin's rule, hundreds of people have improved monuments in Navalny's memory.
Flowers and candles decorated the streets and squares of dozens of Russian cities, and more than 150 people were arrested during the tribute.
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