Died opposition politician
Thousands are demanding that Navalny’s body be returned to relatives
A spontaneous memorial event in memory of the late Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny in St. Petersburg
© Artem Priakhin/SOPA Images via ZUMA Press Wire / DPA
Two days after the death of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny in custody, relatives still do not have access to the body. The calls for their release are getting louder.
The pressure on the Russian authorities to hand over the body of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to his relatives is growing: more than 12,000 people supported a corresponding call to the Russian investigative committee, the civil rights platform OWD-Info said on Telegram on Sunday. OWD-Info only started the call late on Saturday afternoon. “The body must be returned as quickly as possible. At least after his death, Alexei Navalny should be with his relatives,” the statement said.
Arrests after actions for Navalny in Russia
He was physically weakened after many days in repeated solitary confinement According to Russian authorities, Navalny collapsed on Friday while walking in the prison camp in freezing temperatures. According to the prison service, attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful.
Human rights activists accuse the Russian power apparatus of murder. The prominent anti-corruption campaigner’s employees also assumed that Navalny was deliberately killed. There are memorial events around the world for the Russian opposition politician who died in prison at the age of 47. More than 400 people were arrested in various actions in Russia.