Gambit Kasparova

13th world chess champion-about why he has become a defector and why dissidents in different countries of the world need to unite against dictators

Harry, have you really emigrated?

Well, this is a semantic question. What is emigration?

Have you left Russia and are not going to appear here in the near future?

So far there is a threat of a criminal case, of course, not.

Non -return

What is this threat connected with?

The first is the whole story around the seminar in Lithuania **. Trips to the seminar were organized, among other things, through the Solidarity movement and through the people who are connected with me. This was said in his repentant note, which was written for him, and (Leonid) Razvozhaev, the first sentence of his testimony sounds exactly like this: "Kasparov invited me to Lithuania for a seminar." When I read this, I already felt uneasy. Further, on February 16, there was a meeting of the Coordinating Council (opposition), at which it was decided to support the “Magnitsky Act” and enter Bastrykin and investigator Pleshivtsev to the list (head of the UK). As you recall, Razvozhaev claimed that it was Pleshivtsev who was mocking him in the basement after his abduction in Kyiv, as a result, another criminal case of false denunciation was instituted. In March, Borya Nemtsov, Yashin, Navalny and Sakhnin were called for interrogation in the UK. And the investigator told Nemtsov that they will interrogate everyone who has been on the film of the COP meetings. And on this issue (about the "Act of Magnitsky") was the main speaker. Boris called and warned that we had to wait for a call for interrogation in the UK. A day later, a call followed: the investigator called, found out where I was. Then he said that my lawyer, (Andrei) Chetidaykin, with whom I had a contract in the case of the “bite”, called him, but who no longer introduces me - which he said and said to him. Then there was another call to my mother - with an invitation to me to the UK. Formally, they did not send the agenda, but I consider calls from the Investigative Committee as a challenge.

Okay, well, they would call, talked that they can be charged with you?

They can give me a non -departure. And for me, the subscription about the wonness is completely excluded: in Russia I only spend, for seven years, my earnings are abroad, I am lectures. I had more than 100 lectures over 8 years. Moreover, corporate lectures are what I earn a living. Plus I have three funds - I am actively engaged in them now. That is, these trips for me are part of my intellectual life and give earnings. In Russia, there are moral obligations that I fulfilled and will fulfill - such as, for example, the financing of Kasparov.ru. But the emergence of a threat, and a very real threat to get a non -departure subscription - for me the factor is too serious so that I can pretend that it doesn’t care much.

The fears of people of power

What are your reasons to think that there would be a nonsense subscription?

It seems to me that this follows from what is happening. This is the most sophisticated measure, the answer to the political activity that I do. And I am engaged in the fact that I try to prevent prominent Russian officials to travel abroad, this is the main part of my international activity. I believe that this fits completely into the design, into the consciousness of the current boss to close me in Russia - you will also live here.

Has someone warned you about this?

Of course, there were quite serious warnings from people whom I can trust. What is exactly what they will do with you. Theoretically, it can be assumed that all this was invented, but it seems to me that this fits completely in the general situation, because Putin is only worried about two things: the price of oil and the “Magnitsky List”. Now all Russian diplomacy is busy only with this. That is, the Putin lobbyists are mobilized around the world, and there is a completely crazy campaign to distribute contracts, money, and so on. I see this activity in America, I see pressure on the (American) administration by Russian lobbying groups.

Can you give examples?

I think that we will soon witness this. And in Europe, just in all large countries, either threats, as it was in the case of Ireland ***, or, as in Germany, pressure through business interests. As I understand it, the position of the German government, which has now begun to lobby for 15 thousand blue passports for Russian officials, is associated with the serious economic interests of large corporations of the Siemens.

In short, my presence abroad to the Russian authorities seems to be a great danger - more than my stay in Moscow.

Close in the country of the 13th world chess champion? Do you overestimate the degree of threat?

No, they crossed a certain border. They have priorities: oil price - for this we need to inflate the war in the Middle East, and we see what is happening in Syria and Iran. This is the first task. And the second is the “Magnitsky list”. Because the iconic people will easily get rid of American real estate. Well, it’s not easy, but, say, in a percentage of America against Europe is not a mosquito bite, but this is not very much. Well, 5, 9 percent ... America, of course, a good place, and they also settled in Miami, as exposure show, and they are in New York, but this, of course, is nonsense compared to Europe.

The adoption of the "Law of Magnitsky" in any European country of the Schengen agreement means simply collapse of the regime. Putin’s contract with the elite ends with this, because as soon as the threat of cutting this whole clique from Europe arises, they will not have any more reason for Putin’s orders.

But so far the “Act of Magnitsky” has not gone further than the United States.

I believe that the chances are large enough, because the image situation will only worsen for Putin.

You know how to calculate probabilities well. What are the chances that European countries will accept the “Act of Magnitsky”?

In my opinion, in the coming year, the probability is approaching 50 percent.

The detention of Harry Kasparov near the Khamovnichesky Court during the trial of Pussy Riot. August 2012

Opposition tsugzvang

And in the work of the KS you will continue to participate somehow?

I participate quite actively in conversations and every day I get the necessary information, and again I see my function precisely in the implementation of the decision that I was entrusted to. From the very beginning, I took over the international commission, the promotion of the Magnitsky Act. It seems to me that this is an important direction, I am engaged in it independently, I do not require any resources from anyone and see my direct function in this.

To what extent did the story with emigration Sergei Guriev pushed you to the decision not to return to Russia?

What happened to Guriev is probably postponed in the subconscious, but fundamentally different - what we, in mind of the OGF, are now starting to cause people from the office for interrogation. When they already call a girl who simply drawn up documents for a seminar to Lithuania, this is already a signal. I was going to celebrate my 50th anniversary on April 13, in Moscow, in Moscow. But first calls to mom, then punching people from the office, Guriev-obviously, the regime crosses some boundaries.

We haven't hit the bottom yet? Will it be worse?

Certainly. Personal dictatorship, its development vector is well known, it finally gets rid of all the thinking. And I would not have relied so much on the fact that they are incorporated into international business. Because when the threat of power arises, of course, Putin will go to the end, he has nowhere to go. And some number of people around him is already.

And you are not afraid that you will fall out of Russian politics, especially if serious changes begin in the country?

I have never had overpersonal ambitions. For me, the change of regime in Russia, it is fundamental simply for moral and ethical reasons. I have something to do in this life, I have a really huge circle of interests, I am engaged in, for example, an educational program. Another thing is that I want to do something for my country. And if my activity leads to some changes, then I am not going to demand something beyond something for myself. I am ready to participate in this new political life, but it is more important for me to see that it will be in compliance with the principle of conscientious competition.

What do you think about the fact that Max Katz left the coordination council?

Max Katz is preparing for elections to the second coordination council and positions himself as a person who cannot work with representatives of Kuri.

Dissents VS dictators

Will you be elected to the second COP?

I have not resolved this issue for myself yet. The fact is that I headed the Committee in support of honest elections in Iran, it is called We Choose - “We choose” - and is funded only from private means. In Iran, the opposition prepared parallel elections for candidates who were removed from the run - in the list of 20 people. The committee included such famous people as Professor Francis Fukuyama, Professor Larry Diamond from Stanford, Professor Naj.s, etc., the Committee also takes on the monitoring of these virtual elections, control their purity. They began a week before the official elections, June 7, and will continue until June 13, when the results will be announced (Read more about elections in Iran on page 20). I have been doing this for the past few months with Leonid Volkov. The improved system of democracy-2 is involved-this is a virtual elected platform with which elections in the Constitutional Court were held. I am an informal organizer of the process that began in February. And Leonid Volkov is working on this directly with the Iranians. Let's see what happens, because in Iran, of course, the whole power of the repressive apparatus will be involved - this is not an election in the Constitutional Court. The idea is that if something succeeds, then this system of voting and registration of people, of course, will be used here in Russia. In my opinion, this is the most important event, because our technologies, know-how, are now used in the fight against the Iranian regime. I am convinced: when the dictators are united, we, dissidents from different countries with repressive regimes, must also unite.

Photo: Gennady Gulyaev/Kommersant, Alexander Weinstein/Kommersant