Alexei Navalny’s Remains Handed Over to His Mother, Confirms Aide
In a shocking turn of events, the body of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been handed over to his mother, according to an aide close to Navalny. Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, announced the news on his Telegram account and expressed gratitude to everyone who had called on Russian authorities to return Navalny’s body to his grieving mother.
This development comes after Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny’s widow, accused President Vladimir Putin of disrespecting Christianity by pressuring Navalny’s mother into agreeing to a secret funeral. Yulia claimed that authorities had gone so far as to suggest that the body was decomposing and that time was running out for a decision. She passionately pleaded for the return of her husband’s remains, accusing the government of torturing him both in life and in death.
The sudden death of Navalny, a prominent opposition politician, on February 16 sent shockwaves across Russia. The news prompted an outpouring of grief and support from hundreds of Russians who gathered at impromptu memorials with flowers and candles. However, authorities have cracked down on any public displays of sympathy for Navalny, detaining numerous individuals to prevent a widespread show of support.
The Kremlin officials have also rejected calls for an independent postmortem examination on Navalny’s remains. Yulia Navalnaya directly accused Putin, an Orthodox Christian, of being responsible for her husband’s death, claiming that no true Christian would engage in such actions.
On the ninth day since Navalny’s passing, which coincided with an Orthodox Christian memorial service, people across Russia took to the streets to honor his memory. They congregated at Orthodox churches, left flowers at public monuments, and held one-person protests. In Moscow, individuals lined up outside Christ the Savior Cathedral to pay their respects, accompanied by a strong police presence.
The OVD-Info rights group reported that at least 27 people had been detained in nine Russian cities for showing their support for Navalny. Among them were Sergei Karabatov, 64, who laid flowers at a Moscow monument to victims of political repression, and Aida Nuriyeva, who stood in the street holding a sign demanding the return of Navalny’s body. The Russian government’s fear of a public display of support for Navalny is believed to be the reason behind their reluctance to release his remains to his family.
Putin, known for his visits to churches and public displays of religious fervor, has championed “traditional values” as essential for society’s well-being. However, musician Nadya Tolokonnikova, infamous for her involvement with the band Pussy Riot and subsequent imprisonment for protesting inside Christ the Savior Cathedral, accused Putin of hypocrisy in a video released abroad. She accused him and his officials of trampling on traditional Russian values by engaging in acts of violence and murder. Tolokonnikova joined other cultural icons in calling on the Russian government to return Navalny’s body to his family so that they can provide him with a proper funeral.
Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, has been fighting tirelessly to retrieve her son’s body since last week. She was permitted to see his body in the morgue and has filed a lawsuit contesting the officials’ refusal to release it. A closed-door hearing has been scheduled for March 4.
The circumstances surrounding Navalny’s death remain murky, with conflicting reports emerging. Lyudmila Navalnaya was shown a medical certificate stating that her son died of “natural causes,” according to Navalny’s spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh. However, doubts persist among Navalny’s supporters, who suspect foul play and demand a thorough investigation.
The return of Navalny’s remains to his mother marks a bittersweet end to a tragic chapter in Russian politics. As the nation mourns the loss of an influential figure, questions about his death and the government’s actions linger, leaving many searching for answers and demanding justice. The story of Alexei Navalny will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on the future of Russian politics and the fight for democracy and transparency.
