Lyudmila Navalnaya says that investigators are attempting to ascertain the situations the place, when and the way the distinguished critic of the Kremlin ought to be buried.
Alexey Navalny's mom mentioned Russian authorities pressured her to bury the opposition chief's physique in “secret”.
Talking in a video message posted on YouTube on Thursday, Lyudmila Navalnaya mentioned that the Russian authorities had allowed her to see her son's physique within the morgue.
She mentioned investigators had “blackmailed” her over the funeral of the Kremlin critic, who died in custody final week, and had been making an attempt to pressure her to carry a personal burial ceremony with out mourning.
“They need this to be executed in secret, with out goodbye. They wish to take me to the sting of a cemetery, to a contemporary grave and say: 'Right here is your son. I don't agree with this,'” he mentioned.
There was no quick remark from Russian authorities.
Navalnaya mentioned she had been taken to the morgue and proven Navalny's physique on Wednesday evening. On Tuesday, he made an attraction to Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Let me lastly see my son,” he mentioned, urging the authorities to launch his physique so he may bury it.
Navalny's workforce mentioned the dying certificates, additionally seen by Navalnaya on Wednesday, mentioned he died of pure causes.
Navalny, Russia's best-known opposition politician, died abruptly in an Arctic penal colony final Friday on the age of 47. His aides and household mentioned the Kremlin murdered him , an allegation that Russia has rejected.
“Investigators say they know the reason for dying,” mentioned Navalnaya, wearing black and talking in a relaxed voice on video. “They’ve all of the medical and authorized paperwork prepared, which I’ve seen, and I’ve signed the medical dying certificates.
“In keeping with the legislation, they need to give me Alexey's physique immediately, however they haven't executed it to date. As a substitute, they blackmail me, they set me situations the place, when and the way Alexey ought to be buried. That is unlawful.”
Navalny's mom mentioned: “I’m recording this video as a result of they began threatening me. Trying into my eyes, they are saying that if I don’t comply with a secret funeral, they are going to do one thing with my son's physique.
She quoted one of many investigators as saying, “Time isn’t in your aspect; corpses decompose.”
“I don't need particular situations,” he mentioned.
“I simply need every part to be executed based on the legislation. We demand that my son's physique be returned to me instantly.”
“We are able to deal with every part”
Earlier on Thursday, Navalny's widow, Yulia, posted a photograph of her grieving with the couple's grieving daughter, Dasha.
“My candy woman. I flew to you to hug and help you, however you might be sitting right here supporting me,” wrote Yulia Navalnaya in a put up printed on Instagram.
“You’re so sturdy, so courageous and steadfast. We are able to deal with every part, my coronary heart. How good that you’re by my aspect.”
Navalny has a 15-year-old son and Dasha, 23, who’s learning in the USA. Dasha had repeatedly known as for the discharge of her imprisoned father and had even given speeches in his honor at award ceremonies.
Navalny's widow didn’t instantly journey to see her kids when his dying was introduced on Friday, however as a substitute visited the Munich Safety Convention, the place she blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for her husband's destiny .
The Kremlin mentioned it had nothing to do with Navalny's dying, and that the circumstances are being investigated. Putin has not but commented.