The remains of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who passed away unexpectedly in prison nine days ago, were handed over to his mother on Saturday in the remote Arctic city of Salekhard, according to his spokeswoman. Prior to the release of the body, Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “torturing” the body of a political opponent in a video recording. Navalny’s allies have called on supporters to remain vigilant, expressing uncertainty about whether Russian authorities will allow the family to hold a funeral that honors Navalny as they wish. Navalnaya, in a six-minute video posted on YouTube, pledged to continue fighting against Putin’s regime, questioning the president’s beliefs and accusing him of holding her husband’s body “hostage.” Navalny’s mother, Lyudmila, revealed that Russian investigators were withholding his body from the morgue in Salekhard unless she agreed to a private funeral. On Saturday, Navalny’s aides reported that authorities had threatened to bury him in the prison colony where he died if the family did not comply with their demands. Since his return to the presidency in 2012, Putin has presented himself as a champion of traditional values, emphasizing his ties to the Orthodox Church and showcasing his faith. Navalnaya emphasized that her husband was a devout Christian who practiced his faith even while in prison, and she stated that his activism was motivated by Christian principles.