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Navalny’s household had mentioned that Russian authorities had been withholding his physique, after he died at a penal colony final week.
The physique of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny has been handed over to his mom, his spokesperson and an aide have mentioned.
“Alexei’s body was given to his mother. Thank you to everybody who demanded this with us,” Navalny spokesperson Kira Yarmysh mentioned on X on Saturday.
The small print of his funeral preparations are but to be decided, Yarmysh mentioned, and it’s unclear whether or not authorities will intervene.
Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Basis, additionally confirmed the information on his Telegram account, and thanked “everyone” who had referred to as on Russian authorities to return the physique.
Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, had earlier demanded the discharge of his physique for burial, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of mocking Orthodox Christian values and “torturing” his corpse.
“You tortured him alive, and now you keep torturing him dead. You mock the remains of the dead,” she mentioned in a video message to Putin.
Navalny, extensively seen as probably the most distinguished opposition voice in Russia, died final week in a maximum-security Arctic penal colony whereas serving a 19-year sentence on costs of “extremism”.
Many world leaders, together with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and US President Joe Biden, denounced Navalny’s loss of life, saying that it was clear that Russia was answerable for his loss of life.
Nonetheless, Russia has denied any duty, saying that he had died of pure causes.