The body of leading Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny has been returned to his mother, his spokeswoman says.
In a post on X, Kira Yarmysh thanked everybody who had demanded that the authorities hand over his remains.
“The funeral is yet to take place,” she wrote.
Navalny’s mother Lyudmila had reportedly been told to agree to a “secret” burial. If she refused, he would be buried at the prison colony where he died.
She has spent the last week in the town close to the prison where he died, trying to first confirm the location of his body then demanding it be returned to her.
After signing a death certificate saying he had died of natural causes, she was then given three hours to agree to a “secret” funeral for her son.
If she didn’t agree he would be buried within the grounds of the prison where he died, Ms Yarmysh said his mother was told. However, Lyudmila had apparently refused to negotiate with the authorities. (BBC)