The mother of Alexei Navalny, the Putin critic who died in a Russian prison, has called on President Vladimir Putin to release his body.
In a video filmed outside the colony where he died on Friday, she said she had been trying to see him for five days but did not even know where he was.
Navalny’s wife Yulia has also urged the authorities not to stop his loved ones from saying goodbye to him while the family have been told his body will not be released for two weeks.
According to a representative for Navalny, his mother was informed that the body was being held for “chemical analysis”.
“I’ve not been able to see him for five days, they’re refusing to give his body to me, and they’re not even saying where he is,” she says.
“I’m asking you, Vladimir Putin – it all depends on you alone. Let me finally see my son. I demand that Alexei’s body is released immediately so I can give him a decent burial.”
There has been no confirmation of the whereabouts of the body from Russian authorities, while efforts to locate it have been repeatedly shut down.
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