MOSCOW, RUSSIA – The mother of Alexei Navalny is demanding the return of her son’s body from Russian authorities after his death in a Russian jail. The event has sparked international outrage, with critics accusing the Russian government of foul play and human rights violations.
Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of Alexei Navalny, had her social media account mistakenly suspended by a major platform after she accused the Russian authorities of withholding her husband’s body. Her accusations come in the wake of a new criminal case being initiated against the Kremlin critic’s brother, Oleg Navalny, by the Russian government.
Meanwhile, Alexei Navalny’s 69-year-old mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, has issued an emotional appeal directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin from outside the Arctic penal colony where her son died. She is demanding that her son’s body be released immediately so that she can bury him in a humane way, after authorities initially stated that his body would not be released for another two weeks.
Navalny’s wife, Yulia, has also accused the authorities of holding his body to wait for traces of a military nerve agent, Novichok, to leave his body – referring to the poisoning attempt on his life years ago. This has raised suspicions of foul play and led to calls for an independent international investigation into Navalny’s death.
The international community has responded with outrage, with the European Union summoning Russia’s representative and calling for an independent international investigation into Navalny’s death. Italy has also summoned the Russian ambassador over the death of Navalny, while the White House has announced that a new package of sanctions against Russia is set to go into effect following Navalny’s death in a Siberian prison camp.
This latest development in the saga surrounding Alexei Navalny’s life and tragic death has reignited concerns about human rights and political repression in Russia, prompting international condemnation and calls for accountability. As the world waits for answers, the demand for justice for Navalny continues to reverberate globally.