Navalny’s body is said to be in a town in Northern Siberia – reports of “bruises” Navalny’s body is said to be in a town in Northern Siberia – reports of “bruises”

The body of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who died in custody, is being kept at the district hospital in the city of Salekhard in the far north of Siberia, according to a media report. No autopsy had yet taken place, at least as of Saturday, Kremlin critic Novaya Gazeta Europa reported on Sunday, citing its own informants. In addition, the dead man’s body is said to have bruises.

There was initially no official confirmation of this information. Navalny’s relatives have not yet been given access to the 47-year-old’s body.

Salekhard is the capital of the autonomous Yamalo-Nenets Okrug. The ‘Polar Wolf’ prison camp, where Navalny died, is about 50 kilometers northwest of it as the crow flies – already beyond the Arctic Circle.

Russian authorities said Navalny, physically weakened after many days in repeated solitary confinement, collapsed on Friday while walking through the prison camp in freezing temperatures. According to the prison service, resuscitation attempts failed.

Human rights activists accuse the Russian power apparatus of murder. The prominent anti-corruption activist’s associates also believed Navalny had been deliberately killed.

Navalny’s mother has so far tried in vain to retrieve her deceased son. The body was not handed over to her either in the penal colony or in Salekhard.

Novaya Gazeta quotes an anonymous emergency service employee. He said the bruises show that Navalny was in convulsions before his death and was held down by prison camp staff. A bruise on the chest is also an indication that resuscitation attempts have actually been made. However, the newspaper report shows that the informant did not see Navalny himself after his death, but was only informed about his condition by colleagues. (sda/dpa)