If I were Navalny's family/organization, I'd insist that the prison
authorities let me do an independent autopsy so that the cause of death
could be verified. Putin's people COULD have used a technique that
wouldn't be readily identified in an autopsy but they could have
bungled things and left clues that proved he was murdered.
If the authorities refuse to release the body for an independent
autopsy, it virtually PROVES they killed Navalny. If they won't produce
a body at all, it will give rise to a conspiracy theory that Navalny is
not even dead but has been removed from circulation as part of some
sinister plot.
If I were Putin, I'd have his people claim that Navalny was cremated as
per standard policy for people that die in custody, even if that is NOT
the standard policy. Then, anyone who dared to declare that it wasn't
normal to cremate a deceased prisoner would make themselves very
vulnerable to being silenced. In effect, he'd be daring them to call
him a liar. I'm not sure if anyone would be that brave.
--
Rhino