Russian authorities are refusing to release the body of opposition leader Alexei Navalny to his mother and lawyer,
Navalny a long time critic of President Vladimir Putin died in an Arctic prison camp on Friday.
Associates of the late anti corruption crusader are now asking the Russian government to release to the body, just as Russians paying their respects to Navalny at memorials across the country were detained by authorities, according to human rights observers.
After expressing skepticism over whether he died, Navalny’s team confirmed his death, alleging the 47-year-old was murdered and that Russian investigative authorities took away his body for further examination, according to Kira Yarmysh, Navalny’s spokesperson.
Navalny’s team claimed that Russian authorities are deliberately withholding his body from his family and lawyer, expressing concern that authorities could be trying to cover up signs of how he died if he was murdered.
Yarmysh said local investigative police have indicated Navalny’s body won’t be handed over until after a new “examination” is completed next week.
Navalny’s team also claimed that his body is not in the morgue in Salekhard — the town near to the prison colony where he died — despite officials telling them so.
Another of Navalny’s associates, Ivan Zhdanov, suggested that the body has not been released as the cause of death has not been established.
“When Alexey’s lawyer and mother arrived at the colony this morning, they were told that the cause of Navalny’s death was sudden death syndrome,” Zhdanov said in a statement.
Navalny’s team said they were told that a histological examination was performed on his body.
“The results will supposedly be available next week. It’s obvious that they are lying and doing everything they can to avoid handing over the body,” his team said in a statement.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny,