Russian authorities turn over Alexei Navalny's body to his mother amid uncertainties about funeral proceedings
11:06 PM EST, February 24, 2024
On the afternoon of Saturday, February 24, Kira Yarmysh, the spokesperson for the deceased Russian oppositionist, announced via social media that Alexei Navalny's body had been handed over to his mother, Ludmila.
The woman is currently in a city 50 miles away from the penal colony, in Salekhard, where the remains of the deceased anti-Putin oppositionist are to be transported.
The funeral is still ahead of us. We do not know if the authorities will interfere in conducting it the way the family wants and what Alexei deserves. We will pass on the information as soon as it becomes available - wrote Kira Yarmysh on platform X (formerly Twitter).
Navalny's mother issued an ultimatum by the authorities
The woman previously reported that Navalny's mother had received an ultimatum from Russian authorities: either agree to bury her son without the participation of mourners within three hours, or he would be buried within the prison camp where he had been incarcerated.
Yarmysh also noted that Ludmila Navalna refused the investigator's demands and insists that the law be observed, which obliges investigators to release the body within two days of determining the cause of death.
In the medical documentation signed by her, it's clear these two days will expire tomorrow. She insists that the authorities allow for the funeral and mourning service organization to proceed in accordance with normal practice - Yarmysh conveyed in her post on platform X (formerly Twitter).
A week ago, Russian authorities announced the unexpected death of Alexei Navalny, the most prominent political opponent of Vladimir Putin. Navalny was reportedly said to have died in prison. He was serving a 19-year imprisonment sentence, with the potential of an additional 11 years added on.
Source: X service, o2.pl, pap
