https://arab.news/gzw37
- Navalny鈥檚 family and supporters have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of having him killed, an accusation that the Kremlin has rejected
- Navalny鈥檚 team said on X on Thursday that his death certificate says he died of natural causes
WARSAW: The body of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died unexpectedly in prison nine days ago, was handed to his mother on Saturday in the Arctic city of Salekhard, his spokeswoman said, though it was unclear what will happen next to the body.
Navalny鈥檚 family and supporters have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of having him killed, an accusation that the Kremlin has rejected. He survived a poisoning attempt in 2020 and years of harsh treatment in prison, including long spells in solitary confinement.
Navalny鈥檚 team said on X on Thursday that his death certificate says he died of natural causes.
In a video recorded before the release of the body, Navalny鈥檚 widow Yulia Navalnaya accused 鈥渄emonic鈥� Putin of 鈥渢orturing鈥� the corpse of a political opponent.
Navalny鈥檚 allies urged supporters 鈥渘ot to relax鈥� and his spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, wrote on X there was no certainty that Russian authorities would let relatives hold a funeral 鈥渢he way the family wants and the way Alexei deserves.鈥�
Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies, in a statement pledging support for Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky on the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine, urged Russia to fully clarify the circumstances around Navalny鈥檚 death and to free 鈥渁ll unjustly detained prisoners.鈥�
鈥淲e will hold those culpable for Navalny鈥檚 death accountable, including by continuing to impose restrictive measures in response to human rights violations and abuses in Russia and taking other actions,鈥� the G7 added.
In her six-minute video published on YouTube, Navalnaya said she would continue the fight against Putin鈥檚 regime, questioned the president鈥檚 faith, and accused him of holding her husband鈥檚 body 鈥渉ostage.鈥�
On Friday Navalny鈥檚 mother Lyudmila said Russian investigators were refusing to release his body from a morgue in Salekhard until she agreed to lay him to rest without a public funeral.
She said an official had told her that she should agree to their demands, as Navalny鈥檚 body was already decomposing.
On Saturday, Navalny aides said the authorities had threatened to bury him in the remote prison colony where he died unless his family agreed to their conditions.
Since returning to the Russian presidency in 2012, Putin has positioned himself as a defender of traditional, conservative values against what he portrays as corrosive Western liberalism.
He has also trumpeted his closeness to Russia鈥檚 Orthodox Church, regularly appearing at services around religious festivals, and speaking of his personal faith.
Navalnaya said her husband had been a devout Christian who attended church and fasted for Lent even while in prison. She said his political activism had been inspired by Christian values.