Navalny’s mother ‘given hours to agree to secret burial’

The family of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has claimed that authorities gave his mother “a matter of hours” to decide on a secret burial for her son.

Navalny, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, fell seriously ill in August 2020 and was later airlifted to Germany for treatment. He was poisoned with a nerve agent, according to tests conducted by European laboratories.

Despite the assassination attempt, Navalny returned to Russia in January 2021 and was immediately arrested. He was sentenced to two and a half years in prison on charges of parole violations, which he and his supporters claim were politically motivated.

His mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, has been vocal in demanding justice for her son and has called for an independent investigation into his poisoning and imprisonment.

The alleged pressure from authorities to agree to a secret burial has raised concerns about potential state interference in Navalny’s case and the family’s ability to grieve for their loved one without government interference.

Navalny’s mother has not commented on the reported ultimatum, and it remains unclear whether she ultimately agreed to the terms set by the authorities.