Adding to the anguish felt by the family of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, his mother and his entourage have reportedly been denied access to his body, and investigators have reportedly said the official investigation into his death is dragging on, and it is unclear how long it will last. take it

“They cowardly and meanly hide his body and refuse to give it to his mother,” Yulia Navalnaya, the fierce Kremlin critic's widow, said in a video statement four days after Russian prison officials declared him dead in prison — their cause. “Sudden Death Syndrome.”

Navalnaya, who is in exile outside Russia, accused Russian officials of “miserably lying while they wait for the traces of another Putin's Novichok to disappear.” Poison used by Russian security services In at least one previous politically motivated assassination attempt.

Navalnaya urged Russians to “share not only the grief and endless pain that surrounds and consumes us – but also my rage” as she vowed to continue her husband's mission to end and expose Putin's wrongdoings. His long reign of power On Russia.

Navalny's spokesman, in a social media post, accused Russian officials of continuing to lie and “play for time.” Beat the Tributes to late dissident.

At Moscow's Solovetsky Stone – a memorial to victims of political repression – people laid flowers in memory of Navalny.

But in Putin's Russia, that repression is everywhere, and the tributes, along with dozens of others left across the country, were quickly destroyed. Since Navalny's death on Friday, hundreds of people have ventured out to publicly honor him Arrest.

“I think that explains the deep sadness among Navalny's supporters, who used to be a large segment of Russians,” Russia analyst Jeff Hahn told CBS News, adding that many of them “believe they've lost hope now, because, in many ways, Navalny is someone who wants a normal, very normal Russia.” able to bring together a broad coalition.”

Navalny was last seen alive a day before his death, appearing from prison via remote video link to appear in court.

He was found luxuriant, healthy and in good spirits at the IK-3 “Polar Wolf” penal colony in northern Russia, where he was held after a series of convictions – all of which he, and his supporters around the world, have always dismissed as baseless and politically motivated.

Jail officials said he was out for a walk on Friday when he suddenly fell ill and could not be revived by prison doctors. Later they called it “sudden death syndrome”.

Navalny's allies, President Biden and many world leaders, however, Putin takes over to the death of his most important critic.

The Russian president was pictured smiling during a visit with factory workers shortly after news of Navalny's death broke on Friday, but he has yet to comment publicly.

After exposing corruption at all levels of the Russian state, often targeting Putin himself, Navalny survived at least two poisoning attempts, spent years in some of Russia's most notorious prisons, and died at age 47, leaving behind his wife, Yulia, and two children.

Mr. World leaders, including Biden, have vowed to hold those responsible for Navalny's death accountable. Several European countries, including Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands, summoned Russian ambassadors on Monday, AFP reported. French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourn said during a visit to Argentina that the Russian ambassador in Paris would be summoned, while Norway's foreign ministry released a statement saying it had invited its top Russian ambassador “for a talk” about Navalny's death, AFP reported.

Still, with Russians set to go to the polls in a few weeks and Putin almost certain to get another full term in office, any level of accountability seemed a long way off on Monday.