Alexei Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, has filed a lawsuit in a Salekhard city court, demanding the release of her son’s body from Russian officials. This comes after previous attempts by Navalnaya, and Navalny’s legal team were met with refusal.
Following Navalny’s demise in an Arctic prison colony, his body was transferred to Salekhard for investigators to determine the cause of his death. Navalnaya, along with the legal team, traveled to Salekhard to view the body. They were informed that Navalny’s body was not present in the city’s morgue, an event that triggered suspicions concerning the circumstances of his death. In response, Navalny’s spokesperson accused Russian officials of murder and demanded the return of the body.
In February, Navalny’s mother called out Russian President Vladimir Putin in a video from the Arctic colony where Navalny had died. In a formal request to Putin’s office, she stated “His body has not been released to me. They don’t even tell me where he is,” whilst demanding the return of the body to conduct a proper burial. However, the team was informed earlier this week by investigators that the body has to be retained for further examination for two more weeks.
Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, echoed these sentiments, accusing Putin of murdering her husband. The Russian federal prison service, however, claimed that Navalny lost consciousness after taking a walk and, despite resuscitation efforts from doctors, passed away.
Lyudmila Navalnaya’s case regarding “illegal actions and decisions” will be heard on March 4 in a “closed court hearing,” according to a Salekhard city court.