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Alexei Navalny’s body handed over to his mother, spokeswoman says

Kira Yarmysh said she didn’t know if the authorities would allow a funeral to be held ‘the way the family wants and the way Alexei deserves’

People lay flowers on the ninth day after the death of Russian late opposition leader Alexei Navalny near the memorial to political prisoners in St. Petersburg, Russia, February 24th. Photograph: European Press Agency
People lay flowers on the ninth day after the death of Russian late opposition leader Alexei Navalny near the memorial to political prisoners in St. Petersburg, Russia, February 24th. Photograph: European Press Agency
Sat Feb 24 2024 - 16:13

The body of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died suddenly and unexpectedly in prison last week, has been handed over to his mother, his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh wrote on social media on Saturday.

Yarmysh said on X that she did not know if the authorities would allow a funeral to be held “the way the family wants and the way Alexei deserves”.

Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Mr Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, also made the announcement on his Telegram account and thanked “everyone” who had called on Russian authorities to return Mr Navalny’s body to his mother.

Earlier Saturday, Yulia Navalnaya, Mr Navalny’s widow, accused President Vladimir Putin of mocking Christianity by trying to force his mother to agree to a secret funeral after his death in a penal colony.

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The Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny died in an Arctic penal colony after he fell ill after a walk in the prison’s yard. Navalny “lost consciousness almost immediately”, the Russian prison service said, adding that attempts to resuscitate the 47-year-old failed and “the reasons for his death are being clarified”.

Western leaders were quick to suggest that Mr Navalny’s death was caused by the Russian government. - Reuters