The wife of Alexey Navalny claims that Russia is concealing his remains and refusing to release them to his mother.
The family of the deceased Russian opposition leader, Alexey Navalny, is facing additional distress as they have been informed by investigators that they will not be able to access his body and that the investigation into his death will be prolonged without a definite timeline.
Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of the outspoken Kremlin opponent, stated in a video released four days after Russian prison officials announced his death in custody – which they claimed was due to “sudden death syndrome” – that they were cowardly and cruelly concealing his body and denying his mother access to it.
Navalnaya, who lives in exile outside Russia, accused the Russian authorities of “lying miserably while waiting for the trace of another Putin’s Novichok to disappear,” referring to a
There are reports that the Russian security services may have utilized a toxic substance as a weapon.
At least one prior assassination attempt was driven by political motives.
His extended period of authority. over Russia.
crack down on tributes to the late dissident.
At the Solovetsky Stone in Moscow, individuals paid tribute to Navalny by laying flowers to remember the victims of political persecution.
ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty
However, in Russia under Putin’s rule, such repression is widespread. The tributes, along with numerous others placed around the country, were swiftly removed. Hundreds of individuals who have openly paid tribute to Navalny, who passed away on Friday, have faced repercussions.arrested.
According to Russia analyst Jeff Hawn, the recent events have highlighted a profound sense of grief among the supporters of Navalny, who comprised a significant portion of the Russian population. He also noted that many of these individuals feel that they have lost hope, as Navalny was able to unite a diverse group of people who desired a more normalized Russia.
Navalny was last observed alive the day before he passed away, when he made a virtual court appearance while still in prison.
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He appeared thin but appeared to be in good physical condition and high spirits at the IK-3 “Polar Wolf” prison in Russia’s northern region. He was detained there after being found guilty of multiple crimes, which he and his numerous global supporters always claimed were unjust and driven by political motives.
The prison staff reported that he took a stroll on Friday, suddenly became unwell and fell, and ultimately could not be resuscitated by the medical staff at the prison. They later determined the cause of death to be “sudden death syndrome.”
COMMA COMMA
Navalny’s supporters, including President Biden and numerous other global leaders, nonetheless, for Ukraine
Putin is accountable for the situation in Ukraine.
After the downfall of his most vocal opponent.
On Friday, after news of Navalny’s death was announced, the Russian president was seen smiling while visiting factory workers. However, he has yet to make a public comment.
Following his exposure of corruption throughout the Russian government, often directly criticizing Putin, Navalny endured two incidents of poisonings and spent several years in infamous Russian prisons before passing away at the age of 47. He is survived by his wife Yulia and their two children.
Leaders from various countries, including President Biden, have promised to hold accountable those responsible for the death of Navalny. According to AFP, several European countries, such as Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Spain, Sweden, and the Netherlands, summoned Russian diplomats on Monday. The French Foreign Minister, Stephane Sejourne, mentioned during a trip to Argentina that the Russian ambassador in Paris would also be summoned. Additionally, Norway’s foreign ministry released a statement stating that it would be meeting with its top Russian diplomat to discuss Navalny’s death.
However, as the Russian elections are approaching in a matter of weeks and it is highly likely that Putin will win another term, it seems that any form of accountability is far from being achieved on Monday.
Imtiaz Tyab
Source: cbsnews.com