Ilia Iachine, 39, is one of the few leaders of the Russian democratic opposition who has not fled the country. He was arrested in Moscow at the end of June, on false grounds, after having committed himself against the war in Ukraine. On August 8, the Moscow City Court ordered that this fellow traveler of Alexei Navalny – already convicted – and Boris Nemtsov, murdered in 2015, be kept in remand during his trial. sentence of up to fifteen years in prison. The prosecutor demanded that the hearing be held behind closed doors to “not to allow Yachine to popularize his opinions against the war”. The opponent, who attended the session from the prison by video link, exhibited a sign on which was written the slogan “No to war” when the court announced its decision. Today he answers the questions The world transmitted to him through his lawyers.
You knew you risked being imprisoned. What measures have you taken for your personal safety, for your health and for your loved ones?
I prepared myself morally. It is very important to ask yourself honestly in such a situation: am I ready to go to prison for my beliefs? You have to have a clear idea of what awaits you, not have any illusions and not be haunted by doubt. Soviet dissident Vladimir Bukovsky, who knew prisons and camps, once explained to me: “If, with willpower, you manage to remove this fear, you become practically invulnerable for the system. »
I am aware that it is easier for me than for most prisoners in Russia. First of all, I sincerely believe that I have the truth on my side – and that gives me strength. Second, the arrest came as no surprise to me. My psychological state is stable, I had my teeth and health treated in advance. Finally, I feel great support from my family, friends and society. Every day huge numbers of letters arrive in my cell, I have already received several thousand. It is a shock for the prison authorities, who have never seen this so far. This support is very encouraging for me.
What are your conditions of detention?
For the first two weeks, I was kept in a single cell, in order to be subjected to psychological pressure. Honestly, it didn’t work: I read quietly, I wrote a lot and I tried to immerse myself in intellectual work. Then the administration transferred me to a common cell. One of the inmates immediately sought to place me in the criminal hierarchy, in order to test my emotional stability. But the other cellmates quickly recognized me and expressed their respect. I was finally well accepted.
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