Mother Appeals to Putin:
Alexei Navalny’s mother, the Russian opposition figure who died in a Russian prison, has made an appeal to President Vladimir Putin to release his body. She filmed a video outside the Siberian penal colony where Navalny died, stating she had been trying to see him for five days without knowing his location. His wife, Yulia, urged the authorities not to prevent his loved ones from saying goodbye.
The family was told the body would not be released for two weeks, and Navalny’s mother was informed it was being held for “chemical analysis”. Yulia Navalnaya has alleged her husband’s body is being kept until traces of Novichok poisoning disappear. Navalny survived an attempt to kill him with the poison in 2020.
The Kremlin has called the accusations “unfounded and vulgar”. Meanwhile, a new criminal case has reportedly begun against Navalny’s brother, Oleg. In a video outside the prison, Navalny’s mother made a direct appeal to President Putin. “I’ve not been able to see him for five days, they’re refusing to give his body to me, and they’re not even saying where he is,” she said.
“I’m asking you, Vladimir Putin – it all depends on you alone. Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexei’s body is released immediately so I can give him a decent burial.” The family’s efforts to locate the body have repeatedly been shut down by the prison mortuary and local authorities.
On Monday, the Kremlin stated an investigation into Navalny’s death was ongoing and that there were “no results” as of yet. Later, Navalny’s spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh said investigators had told Navalny’s mother they would not hand over the body for two weeks while conducting “chemical analysis”. Navalny had been serving a 19-year sentence on charges widely viewed as politically motivated.
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