Russian authorities returned the body of opposition leader Alexei Navalny to his mother over a week after his demise in an Arctic penal colony, as reported by Navalny’s spokesperson.

In a communication on X, formerly Twitter, spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh conveyed that a funeral is imminent, with uncertainties about whether authorities will permit the family to conduct it according to their wishes and in a manner befitting Navalny.

There was no mention of whether the family intends to hold a public funeral.

Following Navalny’s death on February 16 in a nearby penal colony, his body was transported to the city of Salekhard, situated on the Arctic Circle, according to Russian officials, ABC News reported.

Allegations from his supporters suggest that Russian authorities, opposed to the vocal critic of President Vladimir Putin, played a role in his death, especially considering Navalny’s prior poisoning and near-fatal experience in an apparent assassination attempt.

Despite the accusations, Russian officials have refuted claims of Navalny’s murder as retribution for his political activism.

Navalny’s spokesperson, relaying information from his mother, stated that the official cause of death on his medical report is listed as “natural.”

Written by B.C. Begley