Russian authorities told Alexei Navalny’s mother he would be buried in the penal colony where he died unless she agreed within three hours to lay him to rest without a public funeral, the late opposition leader’s spokesperson has said.
Mr Navalny died suddenly a week ago in the Arctic penal colony where he had been serving sentences totalling more than 30 years.
His mother Lyudmila Navalnaya, 69, has been demanding for days that authorities hand over his body to be buried in a way that will allow his friends, family and supporters to pay their respects.
But on Friday, Mr Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh posted on X: "An hour ago, an investigator called Mr Navalny’s mother and gave her an ultimatum.
“Either she agrees within three hours to a secret funeral without a public farewell, or Alexei will be buried in the penal colony."
Ms Yarmash said Mr Navalny's mother was refusing and continuing to demand that his body be handed to her. There were no immediate comment from Russian authorities.
Час назад матери Алексея позвонил следователь и поставил ультиматум. Или она в течение 3 часов соглашается на тайные похороны без публичного прощания, или Алексея захоронят в колонии. Она отказалась вести переговоры с СК, потому что у них нет полномочий решать, как и где ей…
— Кира Ярмыш (@Kira_Yarmysh) February 23, 2024
On Thursday Ms Navalnaya said Russian investigators were trying to “blackmail” her into allowing a secret burial.
In a YouTube video she accused the Kremlin of planning a "secret" funeral for her son and said she would not agree to it.
"They want this to be done secretly, with no farewell. They want to bring me to the edge of a cemetery, to a fresh grave and say: here lies your son. I don't agree to this," she said.
Ms Navalnaya also said she had finally been shown her son’s body, along with his birth certificate, which says he died from natural causes.
The mother had travelled to the prison where her son was being held and issued a video appeal to Putin to hand over her son.
She had also filed a lawsuit seeking the release of the body, but Russian state media have said her complaint will not be heard by a court until March 4.
Rights organisation OVD-Info said more than 83,000 people had signed a petition drafted to Russia's Investigative Committee, urging it to inform Mr Navalny's relatives where his body is and to hand it over to them.
At least 800 people have signed a separate petition initiated by a group of Russian Orthodox priests, saying his family has the right to say farewell to Mr Navalny and give him a Christian burial.
The petition urged the authorities to respect Mr Navalny's memory, not only as an opposition politician but as a believer.
"Do not overshadow the tragedy of his death by refusing such a simple and humane request. Remember that everyone is equal before God," it said.
It comes after US President Joe Biden met Mr Navalny’s wife and daughter and called him "a man of incredible courage".
"He was a man of incredible courage and it's amazing how his wife and daughter are emulating that," Mr Biden said after meeting Yulia and daughter Dasha.
