The body of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died suddenly and unexpectedly in prison last week, has been handed over to his mother, his spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh wrote on the social media platform X on Saturday.
Ms Yarmysh said she did not know if the authorities would allow a funeral to be held "the way the family wants and the way Alexei deserves".
The widow of Alexei Navalny has accused Vladimir Putin of mocking Christianity by trying to force the Russian opposition leader’s mother to agree to a secret funeral after his death in a penal colony.
Yulia Navalnaya said in a video released on Saturday that Mr Navalny’s mother, who had appealed for the return of her son's body, is being “literally tortured” by authorities who had threatened to bury him in the Arctic prison.
They suggested to his mother that she does not have much time to make a decision because the body is decomposing, Ms Navalnaya said.
