Putin’s critic Navalny’s body handed over to his mother week after his death

NEW DELHI: The body of Russian opposition leader and Putin‘s critic, Alexei Navalny who died in an Arctic prison colony has been handed over to his mother, his spokesperson said on Saturday.
“Alexei’s body was given to his mother. Thank you to everybody who demanded this with us,” Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said on X.

“The funeral is still pending.We do not know if the authorities will interfere to carry it out as the family wants and as Alexey deserves. We will inform you as soon as there is news”, the post further said.
Yarmysh had informed on Friday that Navalny’s mother had got an ultimatum from the Russian authorities that he would be buried in the jail colony where he died unless she consented within three hours to bury him without a public funeral.
“An investigator called Alexey’s mother an hour ago and gave her an ultimatum. Either she agrees to a secret funeral without a public farewell within 3 hours, or Alexey will be buried in the colony,” the spokesperson said in a post on X.
“She refused to negotiate with the IC, as they are not authorised to decide how and where her son should be buried”, the post further said.

The mother of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny had filed a lawsuit in the Arctic city of Salekhard, challenging officials’ refusal to release her son’s body on Wednesday. A closed-door hearing is scheduled for March 4, according to the report, citing court authorities.
In an attempt to retrieve her son’s body, Lyudmila Navalnaya had appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday requesting the release of her son’s body who died at the Arctic prison colony on Friday where he was serving a 19-year-term.
“I’m reaching out to you, Vladimir Putin. The resolution of this matter depends solely on you. Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexei’s body is released immediately, so that I can bury him like a human being,” she said in a video.
Over 400 people have been held across Russia since Navalny’s death while attempting to pay tribute to him with flowers and candles, according to OVD-Info, a group that tracks political arrests.