- This news is breaking news, there will be more to follow.
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A lawyer who represented the late opposition politician Alexei Navalny and accompanied his mother last week as she appealed to authorities to return his body was arrested today in Moscow, Russian media said.
The arrest of Vasily Dubkov on charges of “violating public order” was first reported by Russian independent news outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe.
Dubkov was a key player in efforts to recover Alexei Navalny’s body from Russian authorities after he died on February 16 at the IK-3 prison colony in Siberia after falling ill while out for a walk.
Russian authorities refused to hand over his body to allow his grieving mother, Lyudmila, to bury him unless she agreed to bury him in a private ceremony.
Dubkov was photographed accompanying Lyudmila to several meetings with Russia’s Investigative Committee in the days after the dissident’s death, which many around the world have accused the Kremlin of facilitating.
Vasily Dubkov (pictured) was a key player in efforts to recover Alexei Navalny’s body from Russian authorities.
Alexei Navalny (pictured, left) died on February 16 at the IK-3 penal colony in Siberia after falling ill while out for a walk.
Vladimir Putin (pictured) has been accused of orchestrating Navalny’s death
Allies said on Monday that Navalny was due to be freed in a prisoner swap, but he was killed a day before his release.
Maria Pevchikh, a longtime confidant, said in a YouTube video: “Navalny should be out in the next few days because we made a decision on his trade.
“In early February, Putin was offered to exchange the killer, FSB officer Vadim Krasikov, who is serving time for a murder in Berlin, for two American citizens and Alexey Navalny.”
A German government spokesperson said Monday that while it was aware of reports about the reported exchange, Germany could not comment on it.
Pevchikh also claimed that former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich acted as an “informal negotiator” who worked with American and European officials.
‘At the same time, [he represented] Putin [as]an unofficial channel of communication with the Kremlin.
More to follow.