Alexei Navalny's spokeswoman says Russian authorities give mother 3-hour ultimatum over burial

A spokeswoman for the late Alexei Navalny said on Friday that Russian authorities had told his mother he would be buried in the penal colony where he died unless she agreed within three hours to lay him to rest without a public funeral.

Navalny, the best-known political opponent of President Vladimir Putin, died suddenly a week ago in the Arctic penal colony where he had been serving sentences totalling more than 30 years.

His mother Lyudmila, 69, has been demanding for days that authorities hand over his body to be buried in a way that will allow his friends, family and supporters to pay their respects.

Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh posted on X: "An hour ago, an investigator called Alexei’s mother and gave her an ultimatum. Either she agrees within three hours to a secret funeral without a public farewell, or Alexei will be buried in the penal colony."

Yarmash said Navalny's mother was refusing and continuing to demand that his body be handed to her. There was no immediate comment from the authorities.