Yahoo TV

STORY: The body of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died unexpectedly in prison on February 16, was handed over to his mother on Saturday – nine days later - in the remote Arctic city of Salekhard.

That’s according to Navlany’s spokeswoman, who posted on X that it was uncertain whether Russian authorities would let his relatives hold a funeral (quote) "the way the family wants and the way Alexei deserves."

In a video posted to YouTube less than 24 hours before, Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, demanded the release of her husband’s body, and accused Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom she called demonic, of "torturing" her husband’s corpse.

“You are mocking the remains of the deceased. It is impossible to come with more devilry. You have violated every law, both human and divine.”

Navalnaya said she would continue the fight against Putin's regime and called him a “fake” for often professing his Christian faith.

On Friday, Navalny’s mother said that Russian investigators were refusing to release her son’s body from a morgue in Salekhard until she agreed to lay him to rest without a public funeral.

Navalny aides on Saturday said authorities had threatened to bury him in the remote prison colony where he died unless his family agreed to their conditions.