MOSCOW: Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, has accused President Vladimir Putin of mocking Christianity by attempting to coerce his mother into agreeing to a secret funeral following his death in a penal colony. In a video released on Saturday, Navalnaya revealed that Navalny’s mother, who desires to have her son’s body returned to her, is being subjected to psychological torment by the authorities.They have even suggested burying Navalny in the Arctic prison, pressuring his mother to make a hasty decision by claiming that the body is decomposing.
Navalnaya passionately pleaded, ‘Give us my husband’s body. You tortured him while he was alive, and now you continue to torture him in death. You are disrespecting the deceased.’
Alexei Navalny, a prominent opposition politician in Russia, tragically passed away on February 16 in the penal colony. Following his death, countless Russians flocked to impromptu memorials across the country, offering flowers and lighting candles.
Authorities have detained numerous individuals in an attempt to suppress any potential public display of sympathy for Putin’s strongest adversary in the upcoming presidential election, which he is expected to win. According to social media reports, officials are reluctant to return Navalny’s body to his family due to their fear of a widespread show of support for him.
Navalnaya directly accused Putin, an Orthodox Christian, of being responsible for Navalny’s demise. She stated, ‘No true Christian would ever engage in the actions that Putin is currently undertaking with Alexei’s body. What will you do with his corpse? How far will you sink in your mockery of the man you have killed?’
Putin is frequently seen participating in religious activities, such as dipping himself in ice water to celebrate the Epiphany and visiting holy sites in Russia. He has been an advocate for what he refers to as ‘traditional values,’ which he believes are essential to prevent societal degradation.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed allegations of Putin’s involvement in Navalny’s death, labeling them as ‘completely baseless and audacious accusations against the head of the Russian state.’
Musician Nadya Tolokonnikova, known for her involvement with the band Pussy Riot and her subsequent imprisonment for a protest in Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral in 2012, released a video condemning Putin’s hypocrisy. Tolokonnikova, who currently resides abroad, stated, ‘We were imprisoned for supposedly disrespecting traditional values. However, no one undermines traditional Russian values more than you, Putin, your officials, and your priests who pray for the countless murders that you commit day after day, year after year. Putin, have a conscience and give this mother her son’s body.’
Tolokonnikova is one of several cultural figures who have released videos urging Russian authorities to return Navalny’s body to his family so that they can hold a proper funeral. Navalny’s mother and legal team have been attempting to retrieve his body since last week.
On Thursday, Lyudmila Navalnaya, Alexei’s mother, announced that investigators had allowed her to see her son’s body in the morgue in the Arctic city of Salekhard. She has filed a lawsuit at a court in Salekhard challenging the officials’ refusal to release the body. A closed-door hearing has been scheduled for March 4.
Navalny’s spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Lyudmila Navalnaya was presented with a medical certificate stating that her son died of ‘natural causes.’