Alexei Navalny’s family has been told that his body will be held for two weeks for “chemical analysis,” a representative for Navalny confirmed.
The whereabouts of the body remain unconfirmed by Russian authorities, despite efforts to locate it being continuously obstructed.
Navalny’s wife directly accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of her husband’s death in a video on Monday, vowing to continue his fight for a “free Russia.”
She alleged that Navalny’s body is being withheld until any traces of poisoning by the nerve agent Novichok have disappeared.
Yulia Navalnaya, speaking with grief and anger, urged viewers to join her in condemning those responsible for her husband’s death.
Navalny’s death was announced on Friday, with authorities stating that he never regained consciousness after collapsing during a walk in the Siberian penal colony where he was held.
Despite efforts by his mother and lawyer to locate the body, they have been consistently rebuffed by prison officials and local authorities.
The Kremlin stated that an investigation into Navalny’s death is ongoing, with no results yet. Navalny’s spokeswoman revealed that investigators informed Navalny’s mother that the body would be withheld for two weeks for chemical analysis.
In her video message, Yulia Navalnaya expressed her belief that authorities were waiting for any traces of Novichok to disappear from Navalny’s body.
Navalny, a prominent figure in Russian opposition circles, was serving a 19-year sentence on charges widely seen as politically motivated.
Western leaders, including President Joe Biden and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, have squarely blamed President Putin for Navalny’s death.
Both the EU and the US are considering imposing new sanctions on Russia in response.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov criticized Western politicians’ comments, labeling them “arrogant” and “unacceptable.”
Meanwhile, Russian prison authorities claimed Navalny suffered from “sudden death syndrome.”