Human rights lawyer says Russian authorities can legally keep Alexey Navalny’s body for up to 30 days

The Russian Investigative Committee has launched a procedural review of Alexey Navalny’s death that gives the authorities 30 days before they’re legally required to give the politician’s body to his family, according to Eva Levenberg, a lawyer with the rights group OVD-Info.

“Yesterday, we learned that the Investigative Committee launched a review, raising questions about why this was necessary. It was necessary so that they wouldn’t have to give up the body. Because as long as the review is ongoing, they can legally keep the body for 30 days,” Levenberg said in an interview with the outlet Agentstvo.

She didn’t rule out the possibility that the authorities will release Navalny’s body sooner, however. “To avoid further speculation about the situation, it’s in the interests of the institution and the authorities to give the body over sooner,” Levenberg said.