Putin Critic Alexei Navalny's "Killers" Refusing To Hand Over Body, Say Allies
Supporters of Alexei Navalny, a prominent critic of Vladimir Putin, have accused Russian officials of withholding his body to conceal evidence, following his death in an Arctic penal colony.
Despite evidence of his smile and humor during a recent court appearance via video, Navalny died on Friday after over three years of incarceration, sparking international outrage and condemnation.
Denied access to Navalny's body, both his mother, Lyudmila, and his lawyer faced further obstruction after traveling to the prison's location, according to spokesperson Kira Yarmysh.
Meanwhile, Russian authorities have arrested over 340 individuals across 30 cities for participating in memorials and protests honoring Navalny.
While Western leaders have not hesitated to blame Putin for Navalny's demise, Russian government responses remain noticeably absent.
President Biden has openly held Putin accountable, and at the Munich Security Conference, Navalny's wife, Yulia Navalnaya, vowed that Putin's regime would face consequences for its actions against her husband, her family, and Russia.
Nobel laureate Dmitry Muratov labeled Navalny's death as "murder," highlighting the victim's mistreatment in custody. As tributes and dissensions against Putin continue globally, Russian police have detained hundreds for paying homage at local memorials.
Navalny, renowned for his anti-corruption campaigns and viral exposés, faced imprisonment upon his return to Russia from Germany, where he recovered from an assassination attempt using Novichok nerve agent.
Despite a harsh 19-year sentence on extremism charges among others, Navalny's audacity to return and his encouragement to resist fear garnered him worldwide respect.
Even from prison, Navalny opposed Moscow's aggression towards Ukraine and watched as his followers were exiled or imprisoned. Spending much time in solitary confinement, Navalny maintained his activism and implored the Russian people to persist in the fight against evil, urging action against apathy.