Yulia Navalnaya Levels Accusations at Putin Over Handling of Her Late Husband Alexei Navalny’s Remains – Sky Bulletin

In a heartfelt and distressing appeal, Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of prominent Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny, has publically accused President Vladimir Putin of disrespecting Christian values. Navalnaya claims that Putin’s government is exerting pressure on Navalny’s mother to consent to a clandestine burial of her deceased son, who passed away while serving time in a penal colony.

During a video release on Saturday, Yulia conveyed the emotional turmoil her mother-in-law is experiencing due to the government’s manipulative tactics. She alleges that authorities have threatened to quickly bury Navalny in a remote Arctic prison cemetery, pressing for an immediate decision under the pretense of the body’s rapid decomposition. “Give us the body of my husband,” Navalnaya demands, accusing the regime of extending its torture of Navalny beyond his death.

Navalny, who at 47 years of age was Russia’s most recognized opposition leader, died in custody on February 16. This sparked a wave of grief among Russians, who gathered at impromptu memorials across the nation. Despite attempts to quell public mourning and detain demonstrators, social media users suggest that the government is apprehensive about the potential for a mass outpouring of support if Navalny’s body is released to his family.

Yulia Navalnaya condemned Putin, himself an Orthodox Christian, attributing her husband’s death to the President’s actions. She questions the sincerity of Putin’s faith, given the disrespect shown toward her late husband. Putin, known for publicly participating in religious rites and advocating for “traditional values,” faces these allegations amidst an upcoming presidential election he seems poised to secure.

Denials of Putin’s involvement in Navalny’s death have been issued by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, branding them as baseless and impudent. Meanwhile, prominent figures such as musician and former political prisoner Nadya Tolokonnikova have joined the outcry, lambasting Putin’s perceived duplicity in upholding Russian values. Tolokonnikova, alongside other cultural icons, has called for the body’s return for a proper funeral.

Lyudmila Navalnaya, Alexei’s mother, has legally contested the official refusal to release her son’s remains and has been permitted to view his body in a morgue. However, the release of the body remains in limbo, with a court hearing on the matter scheduled. Revelations that Navalny allegedly died of “natural causes” have been shared by his spokesperson on social media, stirring further controversy and skepticism among supporters.