Relatives have still not been able to see Alexei Navalny’s body, but the newspaper Novaya Gazeta learns that he is in the morgue that the authorities claimed.
The questions about the Putin critic’s death are still piling up, however.
According to Novaya Gazeta, paramedics reportedly stated that Navalny’s body had bruises consistent with some type of stroke, chest compressions or being restrained during convulsions.
Until yesterday, no autopsy had been performed, according to the newspaper’s sources. In Russian state media, the information surrounding Navalny’s death has varied – among other things, blood clots and sudden cardiac death have been given as causes of death.
Refused to hand over the body
Russian independent media say authorities have refused to hand over the body to the family, citing further investigations.
News site Meduza reports that the investigation launched gives the authorities the legal right to keep the body for up to 30 days.
The announcement that opposition politician and Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny had died came on Friday. At the time of his death, the 47-year-old was imprisoned in a penal colony in northern Russia.