Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny has reportedly died of natural causes, according to official statements and a medical report shown to his mother by Navalny's press secretary Kira Yarmysh. However, the circumstances surrounding his death have raised suspicions and controversy. Russian authorities are not only refusing to hand over Navalny's body to his family but are also imposing conditions on his burial. They have threatened to let his body decompose unless it is buried in secret, with specific demands on where, when, and how the funeral is to be conducted, aiming for a secret funeral as reported by NYT. This has been interpreted by some as an attempt to prevent a public funeral that could potentially mobilize large crowds and demonstrate support for Navalny's movement. The Kremlin's insistence on a secret burial and the refusal to allow an independent autopsy have been criticized as efforts to cover up the true cause of Navalny's death and to control the narrative around his legacy, with threats to bury him on the grounds of the Arctic prison colony where he died.
‘Will bury Navalny on the grounds of the Arctic Prison’: Russian authorities threatens Alexei’s family https://t.co/xhdJimF2Du
Why not allow an independent autopsy? Putin's cover-up: "Russian authorities have said opposition activist Alexei Navalny died of 'natural causes' and are threatening to let his body decompose unless he is buried in secret, according to his family." https://t.co/rU3jZmuobD
Russian authorities are threatening to bury Alexei Navalny on the grounds of the Arctic prison colony where he died unless his family agrees to a closed funeral. https://t.co/Q6sLlXbBES
#Russia threatening to bury #Navalny on prison grounds, team says https://t.co/QeUGj0zlII
The Kremlin is apparently willing to go to absurd lengths to stop Navalny having a public funeral, and thus prevent large crowds appearing that'd show his movement enjoys support in Russia – even threatening to bury him in prison https://t.co/pfkP6RjvIw
BREAKING: Navalny team says authorities threaten to bury him on prison ground https://t.co/RO8tgJPlpl
And now Russia wants a secret funeral, because even in death Navalny threatens Putin https://t.co/d59K2e8dz0
Kremlin threatens to let Navalny body rot unless he is buried in secret, claims family https://t.co/3ifd5qDXVe
BREAKING: Russian authorities have declared that the opposition leader Aleksei Navalny died of natural causes - NYT
Breaking News: Russian authorities have declared that the opposition leader Aleksei Navalny died of natural causes but are refusing to release his remains until his mother agrees to a “secret funeral,” his mother and his spokeswoman said on Thursday. https://t.co/oUXNVQHg0G
Navalny died of “natural causes”. That’s why we’ve been hiding the body and plan to bury it in secret.
Alexey Navalny’s mother was shown a medical report that says her son “died from natural causes,” reports Navalny’s press secretary Kira Yarmysh. https://t.co/ISGQs1uLBv
Alexey Navalny’s mother has been shown her son's body, but it is not handed over to her. Instead, she is blackmailed. On the Kremlin's orders, the investigators set conditions as to where, when and how Alexey is to be buried. They want to do it secretly https://t.co/E4IxPG2ljN
The medical report on Navalny that was presented to his mother states that he died of … natural causes. https://t.co/j8bnQ00KUQ