Alexei Navalny's team claimed that the Russian opposition leader’s body is not in the morgue indicated by Russian authorities. Navalny's spokeswoman, Kira Yarmysh, confirmed this Saturday that the political prisoner had been "murdered" and asked that the body be handed over to his relatives "immediately."
In a post on X, Yarmysh reported that, as Navalny's mother had been assured, the lawyer and politician died on Friday at 2:17 p.m. local time. According to Russian authorities, Navalny fainted and fell dead in the Siberian prison where he had been held since December 2023. However, his team assures that he was "murdered":
Alexey Navalny was murdered. His death occurred on February 16 at 2:17 p.m. local time, according to the official message to Alexey’s mother.
An employee of the colony said that the body of Navalny is now in Salekhard. It was picked up by investigators from the IC. Now they are…
— Кира Ярмыш (@Kira_Yarmysh) February 17, 2024
However, Navalny’s team is having problems locating the body. As reported just an hour after his death was officially reported, Yarmysh announced that his body was not at Salekhard, the morgue that Russian officials said that he was. She said that the team was assured by authorities that the body is there, which she does not believe:
Alexey's lawyer and his mother have arrived at the Salekhard morgue. It's closed, however, the colony has assured them it's working and Navalny's body is there. The lawyer called the phone number which was on the door. He was told he was the seventh caller today. Alexey's body is… pic.twitter.com/CsPbONUBrn
— Кира Ярмыш (@Kira_Yarmysh) February 17, 2024
Authorities report that the causes of Navalny's death will be known "next week"
The causes of death do not seem clear either. Although the authorities claim that he fainted and died instantly, the autopsy has yet to confirm the cause of his death. According to Yarmysh, the results will not be known until "next week":
Another of Navalny's lawyers, who went to Salekhard's Investigative Committee, was told that "the cause of Alexey's death has not yet been established, a new histological examination has been carried out.” The results will supposedly be available next week. It’s obvious that they…
— Кира Ярмыш (@Kira_Yarmysh) February 17, 2024
In addition, Yarmysh reported, authorities in charge of the autopsy decided that Alexei Navalny's body will not be handed over to his relatives until "the investigation is complete," thus increasing criticism against Putin, whom practically all countries already consider guilty of crimes related to killing dissidents:
Now the Investigation Committee says directly that Alexey's body will not be handed over to his relatives until the investigation is complete
— Кира Ярмыш (@Kira_Yarmysh) February 17, 2024
