Alexei Navalny’s physique has been transferred to a morgue, in accordance with a Russian information outlet, with guards reportedly “mysteriously” looking jail cells the night time earlier than his loss of life.
Many have blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for the opposition chief’s loss of life, which was reported on Friday, and calls are rising for an impartial investigation.
His physique has been taken to the Salekhard District Clinical Hospital’s morgue, Novaya Gazeta Europe reviews, however as of Saturday no autopsy examination had been carried out.
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A paramedic for the Salekhard ambulance service instructed the information outlet traditional process didn’t seem like adopted within the wake of his loss of life.
“Usually, the bodies of people who die in prison are taken straight to the Bureau of Forensic Medicine… but in this case it was taken to the clinical hospital for some reason,” he mentioned.
“They drove him to the morgue, brought him in, and then stationed two policemen in front of the door.
“They would possibly as properly have put up an indication saying ‘one thing mysterious is happening right here’.”
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While the loss of life was first reported on Friday, one inmate instructed the publication there was a “mysterious commotion” on Thursday night time.
“It all started when they really sped up our evening search, this usually happens on holidays when the guards are in a hurry to go and celebrate, but [that day] wasn’t a holiday,” the inmate mentioned.
“Then they locked us up, forbade any movement between barracks, and tightened security.
“We heard vehicles drive on to the jail grounds late at night time however could not see by way of our cell home windows what they have been.”
The IK-3 penal colony, the place Alexei Navalny was held. Pic: Reuters
He additionally mentioned guards performed an in-depth search of the prisoners’ cells on Friday morning, seizing telephones and different objects.
Novaya Gazeta Europe’s supply mentioned he thought authorities appeared wrong-footed by his loss of life, claiming the warden and the pinnacle of operations appeared distraught.
His mom, Lyudmila Navalnaya, visited the jail – the IK-3 penal colony in Kharp, located within the Arctic Circle – on Saturday, whereas his spouse shared a picture of the 2 collectively on Instagram.
She was reportedly instructed he died of “sudden death syndrome”, however she has not been in a position to see the physique.
Meanwhile tributes are nonetheless being laid by the Solovetsky Stone, in Lubyanka Square in Moscow, which is a monument that commemorates victims of political oppression.
Read extra on this story:
What we all know in regards to the loss of life of Putin’s critic
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More than 400 individuals have been arrested at occasions in reminiscence of Mr Navalny, in accordance with rights group OVD-Info.
Sky News’s Moscow correspondent Diana Magnay mentioned guests to the monument are being instructed by police to maneuver on and never keep on the memorial for a very long time.
Content Source: information.sky.com