"Azat must be free"

About how they become a lawyer and what is the most interesting and difficult to work as a lawyer, we talked with Svetlana Sidorkina , who protects the interests of mathematics, a graduate student of the Mehmat MSU Azat Miftakhova . Talked by Natalia Demina .

- When will Azat begin the real trial?

- I think that very soon, because we are now getting to know the case. There are seven volumes in total. Azat already got acquainted with five volumes, there are two left.

- After familiarization, the court session is soon appointed quite soon?

- About two weeks later. If not at the end of February, then in March for sure.

- What is the complexity of the case of Azat Miftakhov? Why did you take up him?

-I believe that for those acts for which Azat was brought to criminal liability, it is still impossible to deprive of freedom, to deprive the opportunity to engage in science. People like Azat should engage in science, because in this way they will bring much more benefit to society than being in places of imprisonment. Azat should be free.

- He is charged with hooliganism now?

- Yes. Participation in the arson of the Office of United Russia, the damage to which is folded into broken glass.

- It seems to you why Azat is still in prison, there were torture, what is it connected with? Was not lucky? Was the wrong place in the wrong hour?

- Azat is anarchist by beliefs, and anarchists are supposedly the category that is a certain danger to our society. I believe that beliefs cannot become a sufficient basis for pursuing a person.

- On the Agora website, I found out that you received a historical education. They participated in archaeological expeditions on the Volga and in the Arkhangelsk region. But then they became a lawyer. Can you tell a little about your first specialty and why did you suddenly switched to the legal trajectory?

- I was going to enter the legal one immediately after school. But I did not go through the competition. She entered the historical and philological faculty of the Mari State University, because many subjects are associated with jurisprudence. At least in the first two courses half of the items are the same. And then, when she graduated from the university and worked at the school as a teacher of history and social science, she realized that she had to become a teacher, a teacher, and a doctor. I am a good teacher, which many, but I understood that this was not my calling.

- Is a lawyer a vocation or a profession?

- For me, this is a profession. But there are, of course, those who happily combine both profession and calling.

- But you all your life wanted to become a lawyer ...

- Yes. And at first it did not work, and then still took its own.

- Why did you really want to become a lawyer?

- I really loved books - all in pink dreams - and believed that lawyers help people, that a lot depends on a lawyer, that the lawyer really protects people. I did not want to be either a judge or a prosecutor, namely a lawyer.

-Some kind of book inspired you?

- It seems not.

- Ilya Novikov said that he was impressed by Erla Gardner's stories about the practicing lawyer Perry Mason ...

- No, I just wanted to help people. I have not seen another way as a lawyer for myself then.

- Did you have lawyers in your family?

- No.

- Do not regret that you have become a lawyer?

- I do not regret, although there was a period when I was emotionally burned out. I didn’t want anything.

- How did you get out of it?

- Friends and colleagues helped. Forced to rest. And this made me revise my life and change something in it.

- How much time did you get out of such a crisis?

- For a long time. Probably a whole year.

- And how much time did you need to come to this burnout?

- I worked for almost 20 years without vacations and seven days a week. Just burned at work.

- How did you get a legal education?

-My second Higher was full-time at the International Academy of Entrepreneurship. All that I have achieved in the bar is as a result of practice and self -education, thanks to the environment in which I communicated, to the people who surrounded me. I always tried to learn from those who are older than me and more experienced in the profession.

- When did you actually become a lawyer? How old were you?

- At about 30 years old, in 2002. At first I conducted civilian and arbitration affairs. She worked as a lawyer, then an assistant lawyer.

- And how did the leap from civil cases in criminal?

-Surely many experience some kind of life crisis. When I moved to Moscow, I was 45 years old. I wanted to change something in my life. At the same place of work it was somehow uninteresting, I wanted to change everything, and I moved to the capital, thinking that life would change.

And here, in Moscow, a huge competition and from a clean sheet without dating and connections is difficult to re -start. I had a certain experience of human rights in the Volga region, and Pavel Chikov from Agora pulled me into human rights prosperity here in Moscow, and so gradually I began to conduct criminal cases.

- And what business do you take for? What are you interested in?

- I work in criminal cases of different categories, there are political cases among them.

- Do you notice that there is a difference in what is the sentence depending on the criminal or political process? Do you see the prejudice of the court? Or is it not very felt?

- It cannot be said that it is very felt clearly, in principle, it depends on a particular case. What is the difference between political affairs? More people know more about them, they have a certain public outcry, which is not particularly welcome by judges. And some judges beware and try, so to speak, not to increase the bar. Others, on the contrary, make more stringent decisions. So publicity is a two -edged stick. Therefore, I always begin from the interests of the client. If in the interests of my client you need the attention of society, then I try to focus on this, and if in the interests of the client it is better than the noise, then I try to talk less about this matter.

- Are you doing civil practice?

- Yes, I'm doing it, I always liked civilics very much. I am engaged in family disputes, inheritance affairs, disputes in providing services to consumers, etc.

- If you were asked: “Svetlana, how to reform our judicial system,” - what are your proposals?

- I would have introduced a jury court in all criminal cases. Small criminal cases would transfer administrative cases, and the subject of criminal prosecution would only make crimes of moderate gravity or serious crimes.

- Did you have experience with the jury?

- With the jury only twice. This was at the dawn of work in the lawyer.

- And it seems to you, does the future of the future of the future of judges and prosecutors need a beautiful Russia?

- I'm not sure that lustration of judges and prosecutors is necessary. I believe that the approach to the judicial system should be changed. It should still be independent of the state so that there is no “telephone” that is now, when judges make decisions based on which attitude in a particular case, especially in political matters.

-Formally, we also do not have it. The judge does not admit that the sentence was lowered from above. Why should the reform of the judicial system be started?

- Judges should not be appointed president of the country, but should be the election of judges. In my opinion, now another cassation instance has been born, which only burden the entire judicial system. With her, she becomes even more cumbersome.

In my opinion, in Russia it is necessary to move on to precedent law, as in other countries. And it turns out, for the same cases, completely different decisions can be made, completely different punishments are given and there is no single law enforcement practice.

- What is the most interesting for you in a lawyer profession? What do you enjoy?

- I think that the most interesting thing for me is people. Each time you have to deal with different people and different destinies. I am interested in learning about them, understanding what and how.

- And what is the most difficult in the work of a lawyer?

- The most difficult thing is when you understand that you are right from the point of view of the letter of the law, and the decision is still made within the incision of the existing norm of the law and the existing practice. Especially outraged when judges are selective in their decisions. If in relation to someone they can apply a softer sanction or even stop pursuit, then the political composition of the case may become the basis for the persecution of a person.

- Would you advise the young man to go to the bar or not?

- I think, yes, because this is an interesting experience. I am grateful to my profession. I travel a lot around Russia, there were a lot of where. If not for my profession, then, probably, I would not have such an opportunity. I met people of different social levels, of different ages, different nationalities. In general, it is interesting to me. This is a wonderful life experience. We came to this world to get this experience.

Svetlana Sidorkina
Talked by Natalia Demina

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"There is no need for a mathematical environment in prison"

Azat Miftakhov through his lawyer answered the questions of the TRV-hobby:

- What is mathematics for you? What most like in it?

- For me, mathematics is primarily the process of solving interesting problems. I especially like it when you solve the problem in your own way, in your own way, and your approach is original. For me, this process is the most high. This is what I love most in mathematics.

- How did you even come to mathematics? From what time did you start to study?

- Everything is very simple. When I studied in the fourth grade, various Olympiads were held in our ordinary school No. 2 in Nizhnekamsk. The other guys were taken to the Olympics, but no one took me. And I was interested. And there was a Kangaroo Olympiad: you pay 50 rubles, and anyone can participate in it. As a rule, many paid money so as not to go to lessons. So for the first time I participated in the Olympics. I did not take any place, but I liked the fact of participation and competitive spirit. Moreover, I received some kind of incentive prize.

The teacher in the classroom had a book with tasks for the Olympiads. I quietly took this book from her and solved all the tasks that were there. I cut them all, I was interested.

And then, when I began to study in the fifth grade, my teacher Enge Ildusovna, she was a mathematician at this school No. 2, noticed that I had interest in mathematics. There were several such guys in the classroom. She began to pay attention to us. But since there was a certain competition and children's envy between us, the teacher, so as not to show the other guys that he somehow distinguishes me, gave me read the Quantum magazines and others from which I drew additional information for myself.

She invited me to participate in the Olympiads of schoolchildren, so I first took part in the Republican Olympiad.

- How did you remember your participation in the Republican Olympics?

- For me it was such a certain negative experience.

- Why?

- At that Olympics, I did not even get into twenty. Moreover, the most offensive was that the guys with whom I came to the Olympics from my own class took 17th place there, and I didn’t even get into twenty. It hurt me very much and motivated me even more. I wanted to prove that I understand something in mathematics. I began to study even more. I was interested in everything that is happening in mathematics. Enge Ildusovna encouraged me, helped me, seeing my abilities. And then she offered a teacher in mathematics from a specialized gymnasium to help me, prepare me for the Olympics.

And then this teacher, Ravil Niyazovich Alishev, invited me to study in a mathematical specialized boarding school No. 24 in Nizhnekamsk. From that moment on, I was already engaged in mathematics deeply.

It was interesting because I was among the guys who also fascinated the mathematics who were interested in, and we could discuss, we had common interests. This whole environment, the atmosphere in which I was, contributed to what I learned more and more about mathematics.

It was the Tatar-Turkish Lyceum with a mathematical bias. Prior to the conflict with Turkey, teachers from Turkey worked there, who taught us both Turkish and English, and then these teachers were all removed, although the teaching of Turkish and English was very interesting. They said that these teachers "preach religion and include to create a single Islamic state." They were all deported from the lyceum back to Turkey.

These teachers were not left, but from that moment I was no longer distracted from mathematics. I owe a lot to my first teachers that I had. Enge Ildusovna, the first teacher who noticed my interest in mathematics, and teachers who were in a specialized gymnasium who helped me study mathematics, especially Ravil Alishev.

- What did you enter at Moscow State University? By the exam or the Olympics?

- According to the Olympics. I participated in three all -Russian Olympiads (2008–2010), and I took prizes, and this participation influenced the receipt, it gave automatic right to enter the Moscow State University.

- How was studying at the Mehmat Moscow State University?

- MSU, of course, gave me a lot. One lecturer influenced that he convinced that I should engage in mathematics as a researcher, and not as an Olympiad. Of course, the Olympiads are important and interesting, but there, to a certain extent, everything is predetermined and there are options for solving problems. He said that mathematics opens a wider field of activity, and this is more seriously than solving problems at the Olympics. It is one thing - the Olympics, the other thing is science. And I made a bet on science, because I decided that this was a more fundamental business, which should spend my life on.

- After the end of Moscow State University, did you go to graduate school?

- Yes.

- What do you like from the areas of mathematics?

- The theory of probabilities, the theory of random processes, stochastic differential equations, the theory of banach spaces.

- What else are you interested in besides mathematics?

- I really like to read, I love music.

- Is there a possibility in the conditions of pre -trial detention center for mathematics?

- I try to engage in, but it is difficult, because the literature that is transmitted to me, publications and even correspondence with colleagues in mathematics do not give opportunity and cannot replace a mathematical environment that occurs only with live communication. There is no possibility of discussion and dialogue in prison. There is no mathematical environment that would contribute to mathematical activity.

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Statement of the American mathematical society about the case of Azat Miftakhov

The American mathematical society expresses deep concern about the situation that has developed around Azat Miftakhov, young mathematics from Moscow (Russia).

Azat is a listener of the last year of graduate school of the Mehmat Moscow State University and a political activist. In February 2019, he was arrested and accused of terrorist activities and explosive production. These accusations were soon disavowed, but he is still in jail, now due to the accusation of the hooligan campaign, the result of which was the broken window of the United Russia party building.

In the press and activists of human rights, many certificates of violations of the proper legal process in relation to it were reported. They include torture, intimidation of his relatives by the police, as well as a dirty homophobic campaign in some media. He was also denied access to scientific work. It is difficult for us to understand why accusations of vandalism of mild severity lead to a year of detention and other the above consequences. The Memorial, the oldest Russian human rights organization, included Azat Miftakhov in the list of political prisoners.

The Russian government has recently sent hard funds to create international centers of mathematical research in Russia. These efforts can only be successful if the rights of each member of the academic community are completely respected and protected by the law, regardless of his political beliefs, sexual orientation or ethnicity.

We demand that the trial of Mr. Miftakhov be fair and completely open and that during the detention of him to be treated humanely. We will continue to closely monitor this business, just as the general situation in relation to the observance of human rights of our colleagues-mathematicians.

Adopted in January 2020 by the AMO Council, designed to express the opinion of the American mathematical society

ams.org/about-us/govenance/policy-statements/miftakhov

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Lecturer at the Faculty of Computer Sciences NIU HSE Lavrentin Harutyunyan:

Azat studied in graduate school for a year, respectively, he did not engage in scientific activities for so long. Therefore, it is too early to talk about some significant contribution or a rich scientific path.

However, you can look at his publication, which recently appeared on the preprint website arxiv.org. By the way, in the emergence of such a publication in conditions of restriction of freedom from a technical point of view, there is nothing surprising. Дело в том, что в разговоре двух специалистов изложить идею доказательства какой-то новой теоремы нередко можно буквально парой фраз, а при несколько более длительном общении будет нетрудно передать основные детали доказательства, так что специалисту не составит большого труда восстановить доказательство полностью.

Сразу отметим, что эта статья «On barycenters of probability measures» («О барицентрах вероятностных мер») [ 1 ] относится к области фундаментальной математики.

Особенностью фундаментальной математики является то, что у таких теорем часто нет прямолинейных и однозначных приложений к реальности. Скажем, многим на уроках геометрии рассказывали, что геодезисты, загадочно стоящие у своих треног, измеряют расстояния и высоты рельефа вокруг себя. При этом геодезисты пользуются несложной планиметрией: представляют, что треногу с какой-то отдаленной точкой соединяет отрезок, строят нужные для расчетов треугольники. Поэтому можно сказать, что объекты планиметрии в представлении обывателя легко «материализуются» в реальности.

В фундаментальной же математике рассматривают некоторые идеальные математические объекты, которые не всегда можно однозначно связать с каким-то «предметом» из реальности. Это одна из причин, по которой далеко не всегда можно назвать конкретного человека (вроде геодезиста), который является выгодополучателем тех или иных теорем. Но этот же изъян может неожиданным образом оказаться и преимуществом, о котором мы поговорим чуть ниже.

Рассмотрим какое-нибудь произвольное слово из названия статьи. Допустим, слово «мера». Что такое мера? Первое, что приходит в голову, — это литры или килограммы. Но бывают и другие меры. Скажем, в сантиметрах тоже можно измерять меру (длину) чего-либо, и даже в цельсиях мы можем находить меру теплоты (части подмышки, соприкасающейся с наконечником градусника).

Мерой в математике называют то, каким образом что-либо распределено: когда речь о килограммах, это то, как располагается масса в пространстве, когда речь о теплоте, это то, в каком месте какая температура имеется. Если обратиться к физике и озаботиться измерениями электричества, то мера показывает, сколько заряда находится в данном месте. Есть и примеры, которые куда меньше связаны с физикой: скажем, распределение выигрышей в лотерее — это мера, показывающая, сколько имеется везунчиков с выигрышем в миллиард, а сколько людей ничего не получат.

Мерами пользуются также и на бирже: можно изучать, какая мера тех или иных траекторий индексов, чтобы, например, пытаться автоматически их предсказывать. Кстати, в последних двух примерах чаще употребляют термин не «мера», а «вероятность»: лотерею можно описать шансами получения того или иного выигрыша (хотя это чаще всего проигрыш), а стратегию биржевой торговли можно описывать шансами получить на выходе ту или иную сумму денег. Вероятность — это и есть вероятностная мера в математике (что проливает свет на еще одно из слов в названии).

Как мы видим, одно и то же слово из фундаментальной науки может обозначать совершенно разные вещи в жизни. В этом состоит универсальность фундаментальной науки: доказанные теоремы можно затем применить в самых разных, порой неожиданных ситуациях. Это как раз и есть то самое преимущество: да, у этих абстрактных объектов не всегда есть близнецы из реального мира, но зато они находят свое отражение во многих достаточно разных объектах реальности.

Рассмотрим еще пример. Скажем, термин «барицентр». Когда идет речь о распределении массы, обычно говорят «центр масс». Центр масс возникает, когда официант пытается удержать поднос на одном пальце: чтобы поднос не упал, центр масс подноса должен попасть на кончик пальца. Разумеется, центр масс будет зависеть от расположения еды на подносе.

При этом если вместо массы взять другой тип мер — распределение вероятностей, то барицентр уже будет математическим ожиданием (скажем, выигрыша). То, сколько в среднем вы получите, участвуя в том или ином мероприятии («прибыль» может быть и отрицательной, как, например, происходит в случае лотерей). Если же рассмотреть распределение траекторий биржевых индексов, то окажется, что барицентр — это уже траектория, которая является самой типичной, отражает общие тенденции рынка.

1. Sergey Berezin, Azat Miftakhov. On barycenters of probability measures (Submitted on 18 Nov 2019).