Authorities told Alexei Navalny’s mother that he died due to ‘sudden death syndrome’

Deceased Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny's colleague said on Saturday (Feb 17) that Russian authorities told Navalny's mother that he died due to "sudden death syndrome", reported Reuters. The news report also said that authorities indicated they would hand over Navalny's body after investigation was complete.

Navalny (47) fell unconscious and died on Friday inside 'Polar Wolf' penal colony located around 1900 kilometres northwest of Moscow. Navalny was serving a three-decade sentence in the penal colony in Kharp.

Navalny's 69-years-old mother Lyudmila rushed to the penal colony on Saturday despite frigid Arctic temperatures of minus 30 degrees Celsius

"When Alexei's lawyer and mother arrived at the colony this morning, they were told that the cause of Navalny's death was sudden death syndrome," said Ivan Zhdanov, chief of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Translation of his post in Russian language was published by Reuters.

Watch | Russian officials not releasing Navalny's body: Navalny's team | Alexei Navalny death mystery

'Sudden death syndrome' is a vague term for different cardiac syndromes.

Explained | The many lives of Alexei Navalny: The fighter who survived, till now

Navalny's spokeswoman Kira Yarmysh previously said that Navalny's mother was given death notice which stated 2:17 pm local time (0917 GMT) on February 16 as his time of death. Lyudmila was not able to see Navalny's body. She was told that it had been taken to Salekhard, a nearby town. But when she reached there, the morgue was closed.

Also Read | ‘Alexei Navalny was murdered,’ Russian opposition leader’s spokeswoman confirms reports of his death

"Right now we don't have access to the body and we don't know for sure where it is, and we demand that the Russian authorities immediately give Alexei's body to his family," Yarmysh said, as quoted by Reuters.

Navalny's death has profoundly shocked the world and there have been sharp reactions from the Western countries. US President Joe Biden lauded Navalny's courage and accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of being behind the opposition leader's death. The UK has said that there would be consequences for Russia.

Navalny has become another name in long list of people who posed considerable political or military threat to Putin and later died.

(With inputs from agencies)