Russian officials release Alexey Navalny’s body to his mother

Alexey Navalny’s body has been released to his mother, Lyudmila, reports Navalny’s press secretary Kira Yarmysh.

“Alexey’s body was handed over to his mother. Many thanks to all those who demanded this with us,” said Yarmysh in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “Lyudmila Ivanovna is still in Salekhard. The funeral is still pending. We do not know if the authorities will interfere to carry it out as the family wants and as Alexey deserves. We will inform you as soon as there is news.”

Ivan Zhdanov, the director of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation, thanked everyone who demanded Navalny’s body be released to his family. “A huge thank you to everyone. Thank you to everyone who wrote and recorded video appeals. I think that Alexey would have said that was the right thing to do. Navalny’s body has been released to his mother,” said Zhdanov.

Earlier, Zhdanov said that investigators had set several conditions for Lyudmila Navalnaya to agree to in order for her son’s body to be released to her. They demanded that Navalny’s relatives and associates keep information about his funeral secret and that they refrain from holding a public farewell. On the evening of February 23, Navalny’s associates reported that the investigator had given an ultimatum to Lyudmila Navalnaya, telling her that she had three hours to agree to hold her son’s funeral in secret. Navalny’s mother refused.