Navalj's mother and other relatives are not allowed access to his body even for the third day

The mother and other relatives of the deceased Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny were not allowed access to his body even on the third day after his death, the spokeswoman and Navalny's legal team announced today.

The lawyers pointed out that even the mother was not allowed to enter the morgue where the body is believed to be.

"Alexei Navalny's mother and her lawyers arrived at the morgue early this morning. They were not allowed to enter. One of the lawyers was literally pushed out. When they asked the staff if Alexei's body was there, they did not answer," Kira announced on social networks. Jarmus, spokeswoman for Navalny.

A Russian opposition figure and main opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin died on Friday in an arctic prison in the Yamal region, where he was serving a 19-year sentence.

He has been in prison since returning to Russia in early 2021, and his health has been deteriorating for months.

His mother Lyudmila Navalny went with her lawyer to that remote penal colony on Saturday.

According to Russian prison services, Alexei Navalny, 47, died on Friday after suddenly falling ill "after a walk".