Return Navalny’s body to his family, famous Russians urge the authorities

By The Associated Press

Russians including Nobel laureate Dmitry Muratov and ballet star Mikhail Baryshnikov have released videos calling on the Russian authorities to return the body of opposition leader Alexei Navalny to his family, a week after his death in an Arctic penal colony. Navalny’s mother said Thursday that she’s seen her son’s body and that she is resisting official pressure to agree to a secret burial away from the public eye. Lyudmila Navalnaya said said she reaffirmed her demand to have Navalny’s body released to her. She has filed a lawsuit at a court in the Arctic city of Salekhard. A closed-door hearing is scheduled for March 4.