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Navalny's household had mentioned Russian authorities had been withholding his physique after his demise within the penal colony final week.
The physique of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny has been handed over to his mom, his spokesman and an aide have mentioned.
“Alexey's physique was handed over to his mom. “Thanks to everybody who joined us in making this demand,” Navalny spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh mentioned on Saturday.
Particulars of his funeral preparations haven’t but been decided, Yarmysh mentioned, and it’s unclear whether or not authorities will intervene.
Ivan Zhdanov, director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Basis, additionally confirmed the information on his Telegram account, and thanked “everybody” who had requested Russian authorities to return the physique.
“Thanks very a lot. Thanks to everybody who wrote and recorded video messages. You all did what you wanted to do. Thanks. Alexei Navalny's physique has been returned to his mom, ”Zhdanov wrote.
Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, had beforehand demanded his physique be launched for burial, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of mocking Orthodox Christian values and “torturing” his corpse.
“You tortured him alive, and now you torture him useless. You make enjoyable of the stays of the useless,'' he mentioned in a video message to Putin.
Navalny, 47, seen as Russia's most distinguished opposition voice, died on February 16 whereas serving a 19-year sentence on prices of “extremism” in a maximum-security Arctic penal colony.
A number of world leaders, together with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Joe Biden, condemned Navalny's demise and mentioned it was clear that Russia was chargeable for his demise, with many blaming the Russian President specifically.
Nevertheless, Russia has denied any accountability, saying that he died of pure causes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov known as the allegations “completely baseless, outrageous allegations in regards to the Russian head of state.”
Navalny's mom, Lyudmila Navalnaya, had mentioned that Russian investigators had been pressuring her to bury her son in a “secret” method in a non-public ceremony with out mourners. She remains to be within the Arctic area, Yarmysh mentioned, and had gone there to demand the discharge of her son's physique.
Navalny's associates mentioned authorities had threatened to bury him within the jail colony the place he died except his household agreed to their phrases.
“They need to take me to a contemporary grave on the far finish of the cemetery and say: 'Right here lies your son',” his mom mentioned in a video posted on YouTube on Thursday. “I don't agree with that.”