Russia examines Navalny's body, but no one knows where

Feb 17, 2024 at 2:50 PM Update: 3 days ago

After the death of Alexei Navalny, the big question is where his body is. Russian authorities say they are examining the remains at a mortuary in Salekhard, but reports say his body never arrived there.

The latest news that Navalny’s spokesperson Kira Yarmysh shared with the world is that Russia has informed the late opposition leader’s lawyers that the body is being examined for a second time. The results would be announced next week.

According to the spokesperson, this is very striking, because an hour earlier the same lawyers had been told that the investigation had been completed and that nothing suspicious or punishable had been found. “They lie every time to cover their tracks.”

Russia does not comment further on Yarmysh’s accusations. Navalny’s team has already demanded that his body be handed over to his family. Russian officials continue to tell Navalny’s spokesman that the body will not be released to the family until the full investigation is completed.

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Navalny died in the infamous prison camp in Kharp

Navalny was detained and died in a prison in Kharp. The Russian prison authority had said in an official statement that the remains had been taken to Salekhard, a town just southeast of Kharp, for examination.

There is one mortuary in Salekhard. Press agency Reuters had contact with an employee of that mortuary. It states that Navalny’s body never arrived there.

On Saturday, Navalny’s team confirmed the death of the Vladimir Putin critic. The team speaks of murder and wants the body to be handed over to the family as soon as possible.

According to the prison authority, 47-year-old Navalny became unwell after walking in the IK-3 penal colony. He reportedly lost consciousness, after which medical staff tried in vain to resuscitate him. Navalny was subsequently declared dead.

‘Putin and his associates will be punished’

Mother Lyudmila Navalnaya said after his death that Navalny was still “alive, healthy and cheerful” earlier this week. According to Navalny’s team, the prison authority told the mother that he died “suddenly”.

Navalny’s wife Yulia responded on Friday from Munich, where she was attending a security conference. At the time she was still unsure about his death. “If it is true, I want Putin and his associates, everyone around him, his government, his friends, to know that they will be punished for what they did to the country, to my family and to my husband.”

Navalny served a prison sentence of more than 30 years after a political trial in which he was found guilty of founding an extremist group.