Russian Investigative Committee Declines to Open Criminal Case on Alexei Navalny's Death

The Russian Investigative Committee has decided not to open a criminal case regarding the death of opposition figure Alexei Navalny. This information has been reported by his colleagues, according to Current Time.

Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalnaya, was informed by the Investigative Committee that her husband died from a "combined disease" and arrhythmia. The response was signed by Major Alexander Varapaev, who for several days did not return Navalny's body to his mother.

According to the Committee's statement, on February 16, Navalny experienced a "sudden deterioration in health" while walking. He was taken back to his cell, from where he was transferred to the medical unit. Emergency personnel arrived there, but both they and the prison staff were unable to resuscitate the political figure.

"No illegal actions were committed against the convict Navalny A.A., no violence was applied, and the bodily injuries found were the result of medical procedures," stated the Investigative Committee in their response.

It should be noted that the Federal Penitentiary Service for the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area announced Navalny's death on February 16, 2023. According to the agency, the political figure "felt unwell almost immediately after the walk, losing consciousness," and resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.

After Alexei Navalny's death, the whereabouts of his body remained unknown. It was only a week later that his mother, Lyudmila Navalnaya, was able to see her son's body. Investigators informed her that the body would not be returned for two weeks as it had allegedly been sent for chemical examination.

Navalnaya filed a complaint against the actions of the Investigative Committee, while dozens of prominent Russian public figures located abroad called for Navalny's body to be returned to his mother. Ultimately, on February 24, her son's body was handed over to Lyudmila Navalnaya.