"Thanks to the state for making it feel insignificant"

Readers of Medusa say that the verdict to Alexei Navalny means to them

Simonovsky District Court of Moscow replaced the policy of Alexei Navalny as a conditional term with the real one. We asked readers to share with us what they feel after the sentence. Less than a day, the editors received thousands of letters. They are mainly about despair, pain and fear.

The letters are given completely-we only edited them a little, so that it was more convenient to read.

Elizabeth

I cry and dream of getting to Nevsky now, but I can’t: there is no one to leave children with. I am ashamed in front of the whole world. But I hear how the song “Changes” plays the floor with a floor, and I turn it on at my best, although I never really loved Kino. I am proud that I am a contemporary of Alexei!

Victoria

For me, this decision of the court is resetting to be any understanding of the new Russian reality. Before that, I thought that Navalny could not be killed or planted-because of its political capital. And now I am convinced that there are no prohibitions for the Russian government. And this is the worst.

Irina

It hurts me to see what my country has turned into. It is disgusted to me to think that I live in the same city with those who commit these terrible crimes against Navalny and my fellow citizens. And I'm scared that we are all hostage from criminals who captured our country. But they will not receive my children. Russia will be free!

Alina

I cried. Just like a girl cried. As if once again everyone showed that there are those who decide the rules of the game, and you have no choice to disagree and not put this shitty tick in the field "I accept the terms of the license agreement." And I do not accept. I don't want to accept.

Alexander

I entered the legal faculty in 2012, graduated from undergraduate and immediately behind him-a magistracy. Over six years of study, I went a long way from “Uuuh, cool, always wanted to catch bad guys”, through “constitutional law, it turns out interesting”, continuing “Kakaaai Nudyatina, this process of your process”, having finished the fifth year “I will never work as a lawyer”, and the first two months of work was convinced by the trainee.

And then ... I liked it. I worked in consulting as an assistant lawyer, went through the civil service, got a job as an assistant to a lawyer, and now I am the deputy chief of the Yutlad. In 26, this is quite good (in fact, we have a Yurtdel of just two people, but it doesn’t matter). And I really began to sincerely love my profession. I really rushed from the realization that I would be a lawyer. And I cannot describe my emotions to you now. All that I studied and what they told me about does not work. For some reason, it is, and that’s it. Honestly, it would be better if the law was wiped about the law, then its presence would at least be justified. He was simply inconnected today. As if there was no.

Do you know what is worst? I don't know how to go to work tomorrow. I am really ashamed that I work in a state -owned company. And the most filthy - I have no choice right now. I have no savings at all to open something. And in other places, the salary is below one and a half times. I do not know yet what to do with all this. I am disgusted with my work, I am disgusted with my professional sphere, and I want to do something about it. I want to work as a lawyer in a normal country where I do not have to fight with pension funds for pension (hello, illegal refusals to include periods of work in work experience), where people will not break their heads for a peaceful action, where, in the end, they do not appoint administrative fines for legal assistance to rallies participants.

Thanks to the state for making it feel insignificant. I don't want to be afraid anymore.

Vasily

What does it mean to me? This means that Navalny was responsible for the law, as an ordinary citizen of the Russian Federation in a similar situation.

Although what is I, to an ordinary person for such violations, a convention would be replaced by a real term faster. Actually, justice was accomplished, and this is good. But you will not publish it, right? You would only have to submit information about the bloody regime, to write as if a policeman, just standing still, decided to get a table gun and direct it to the crowd for no reason, and write about the progressive West with AOS and others. Oh yes, your Navalny does not pull on politics. It is scary to think, but people are interested not only in the “fight against corruption”, but also to the solution of more ordinary things and problems. But you can’t shout about them that this damn Putin is to blame, huh?

Vlad

Putin is disgusting to me, Navalny is just as disgusting to me. I am not a supporter of his ideas, views and creativity. But I believe that for his activity he does not deserve a prison. Write out a fine for disrespect for power, deprive citizenship. But to put a person in a colony for two and a half years because of his well-known activity is unacceptable. The incident today made those who were not indifferent even to those who were absolutely far from politics.

Nikita

This is just surrealism and anti -utopia. Russia has died today. These are not beautiful words, these are more at the level of sensations, the remnants of confidence in power, to judicial systems, just to everything, simply collapsed. I cannot call myself a supporter of Navalny, but what happened today simply cannot happen at all, this is impossible. This news found me in the Moscow metro and simply dumbfounded me, for my 22 years I have not yet seen, so that they would take it and shy about the laws, not embarrassed nothing. I had previously slipped thoughts to leave Russia, but now these thoughts have turned into a target, if nothing has changed in the near future, I am ready to crawl across the border.

Dmitry

In the summer of 2020, Navalny came to my city, and I managed to meet him and shake his hand. But only after his departure did I realize that I forgot to ask him to sign on my bicycle, but I really wanted to do it. Then Alexei tried to kill, and now they put him in jail. But I am sure that he will ever sign on my bicycle someday-sooner or later. And I will do everything to happen.

Ulyana

When I saw the news about the decision of the court, the last hope for a normal life in a normal state was bursting inside. Although I expected Navalny to be imprisoned, I was completely not ready for this news. I'm scared at the moment. It is scary that will happen next, especially scary that all this is freezing. There is no trust in the current authorities, now there is no faith in people who have an attitude towards this power.

Galina

Navalny is not my idol, but he was the very bright face and hope for new Russia. Feeling maximum helplessness before the future, fear for their loved ones, anger in connection with the absolute lack of freedom of speech.

Alexey

I am 32 years old. I live in Krasnoyarsk, a city in gray and dirty, where even the air has color. I am engaged in motor vehicles and spare parts, customers are very clearly visible that people are poor every year. Or even a month. Prices are growing so that it is a shame to change the price tags. It is strongly impossible to buy new equipment: the cost can not even be correlated with the size of salaries. Achi and sighs of customers. Total hopelessness and understanding that it will only be worse further.

The awareness that they will not let such a vicious political system will not be changed, leads to constant despondency. Gray and dirty not only our city, but also our state, justice, power. It becomes more difficult to breathe freely, and in the last month the police especially zealously squeezes the remains of air from the chest with boots. The rallies seem meaningless, and now also dangerous, the remnants of the law are dying online. But here you see Navalny and think that if there was no such person, then he would have to come up with - he with absolute confidence makes you understand that everything will be fine, that there is no need to be afraid, that everything is not in vain. And you begin to believe, hope for changes, for the adequacy of power. You listen to his rhetoric, you are charging, it seems that the state is about to admit that it has been fucked up at the end, a little more, well, over there, because the same people are sitting there, they understand everything ... And then ... Bach! Fig you! There will be no changes! Sit, shut up! And moreover: now they are not even trying to make the legality of what is happening, they are not even trying to come up with excuses or reasons, a bang with a club - and that’s all, just because they can.

The incident once again puts a polar choice: to leave this country or come to terms. The third option, which has become better in Russia, no. It seemed that Navalny sees the way out that he was going in his direction and was ready to show him to others. But then the next pearl of our authorities happens, and hopes collapse, a car zak awaits you near each such exit. I really would not want to leave, but the situation apparently forces ...

Maria

I sobbed 40 minutes when I was announced the verdict. From powerlessness and anger, from the fear that tomorrow it can be me or my husband, my sister, neighbor. I am 27 years old, for the first time I went to the rally eight years ago - also for Navalny. I see how over these eight years we sank into the abyss of lawlessness. I no longer feel safe in my own country. I am losing a sense of reality from the fact that on the one hand I see the golden ruffs, and on the other, people whose riot police beat in auto -zaks. Which stand like horses in a stall, in a bus for almost two days without food, water and a toilet. I want change, I'm afraid for my family, I don't know what to do.

Catherine

I cry, I can't stop. Russia seems to be not free. My optimism was closed with Alexei today. I have no special story, I just have pain. I want to go outside! But I am afraid, knowing that the law is just five letters and nothing more. I'm afraid to leave the child without mom. All my pain for the country today just incinerated me, I do not know what to do.

Victoria

There is a feeling that the arrest of Navalny is the extreme point of boiling for many. Another and most vivid manifestation of the fact that free journalism in this country is definitely not. At the journalism faculty we were taught independence, critical thinking. The history of Navalny shows the whole next generation that all this does not matter. It is important to be comfortable, be silent, to humble yourself.

For me, this is also a story about the fact that tomorrow they can come home to each of us, break the door and just plant. For any article. We, our parents, friends, even children. And we will continue to humbly stand aside and be silent. As everyone was taught for many years. This is some kind of learned helplessness that we continue to follow.

And it hurts, just humanly, it is painful to look at how Alexey draws Julia's heart on the glass of Aquarium in court. Many may not like him as a politician, but with a person as a whole to do so lawlessly and disgusting. This is meanness and cowardice. And such meanness and such cowardice scare and at the same time make it very much angry.

Oleg

I am 35 years old, I live and earn in Moscow. In general, everything in my life is not bad, you can "not lean out." But what is interesting: following Navalny, I suddenly realized that I have been living in my country with a permanent sense of fear. I’m afraid of the police, I'm afraid of civil servants in the state departments, I'm afraid of doctors on an ambulance and in clinics, I'm afraid of violent neighbors, throat saleswomen in stores. Just at the DNA level. And now I’m watching how the security forces that have stitched on the streets of my fellow citizens, see how all conceivable rights and laws are violated, and my body begins to be distinguished from the sofa. I believe that Navalny will leave prison before the end of the deadline. Because he launched an irreversible process when people stop being afraid and will fight for free life without fear. Including me.

Anton

I have never been a supporter of Navalny and for a long time trusted the current president, thereby entrusting my future to the existing order of things. And I still do not trust Navalny. At the same time, neither the scale of theft, nor the presence of palaces and the like - I have been working in government agencies all my life. I condemn theft, but I also understand that it is foolish to believe that Putin is without sin. However, the voiced sentence and all the circus ceremony previously lead to this leads me to the realization of an important feeling. This is disappointment. Disappointment, turning into despair, like which I never experienced in my life. It sounds pathetic, but it is. For some unknown reason, all this time, hope for the rule of law lived in me. And also - for the fact that even if there are deceivers above us, then at least these are calculating and smart deceivers who are able to think in advance, find a way out of a difficult situation and prevent our ship from sinking. But it turned out that hoping is as stupid as to think that our power is considered with our opinion. And the fact that I write these words to you is especially indicative. Because more and nowhere. It's like a scream in a pillow. Loud and desperate. But no one hears him. Because it is only interesting to me. Another thing is important: we need to decide what to do after we scream.

Maria

It turned out that to predict the outcome and encounter him are different things. After the announcement of the sentence, the feelings were mixed. On the one hand, a feeling of powerlessness and sadness, on the other - rage. On the one hand, doom, on the other, is hope. Consciousness is looking for ways to cope: to work as a volunteer at the OVD-Info, transfer or collect gearboxes to the detainees, and support the FBK with money. After night, I understand that I am trying to find my place in the struggle for a better life, what exactly I can do to beat the system of violence and indifference. What will bring concrete benefits and what I have enough forces? I sympathize with Julia, what she is worried about, scary and unfair. I feel that I need to feel a friendly shoulder nearby, I try to be in touch with friends, this helps not to fail. Thanks for the opportunity to speak out!

Anastasia

This is a point of no return. I fell into apathy, doom, humility with further emigration, but these people today, who went out onto the streets, without calls, without a route and a control channel - they cheered me up, returned a shadow of hope, not for us - probably, all the same - but for our children, I hope.

Eugene

I’m lying, trying to fall asleep - and I can’t, inside it is very disgusting. As if poisoned. Like many, today I realized that there can be no compromise, there cannot be the adoption of those who approve of such actions of the authorities. This is so diverging with my concepts of justice, with my basic values ​​in life that I am ready to stop all communication with anyone who justifies this abomination.

Maria

I would like to cry from injustice and impotence. I admit that the entire population of the country, including me, allowed the real procedure for affairs, subnoded, missed the ears, brought to the point that the authorities were feeling complete impunity, creating lawlessness not only in the international arena, but also within the country, against their own population. But our children are not to blame. I had a daughter last year, in 2036 she will be 16 years old. I literally move my hair from the thought that she will have to live like this: tolerate repressions, poverty, live in fear or lies. And we still need to try to make the developing and blossoming tentacles already at schools and children of Politpropaganda does not cloud her mind before growing up. I am scared for the future, so I'm not afraid to declare it now. And it hurts me lonely and when my elderly parents echo their voice and praise power, laughing at my fears.

Vladimir

I am an ordinary citizen of Russia. Average earnings, family, children. The eldest daughter is already 18, and the country that she got annoyed. He followed the investigations of Navalny from almost the first rollers. There are people who think that it is enough for them to be loyal to the authorities, and they will not be robbed, they will not squeeze the business, and while they are in comfort, but today's (not, he is permanent) lawlessness showed: there is no more rights in our country. There is nowhere to wait for a simple person from protection.

Maxim

My wife cries and asks me what to do. I have no answer for her. We are already delaying money for future fines and preparing for rallies. I don't know how to console her. It hurts me to look into her eyes.

Lara

You know, I'm scared anxious. I always thought that in case of some serious problems in the country I would take and leave. Now I look at what is happening, I think - well, here it is - and after that I ask the question: "And what about the relatives who will stay here?" For me this is a point. I don’t know what exactly. I have never been a supporter of Navalny, but today, when I found out that the deadline was replaced with the real one, I burst into tears - because the whole nightmare, which until the last did not want to believe, became real. I don't know how it will be next. For example, I'm terribly afraid to go to rallies-I am sending money to the OVD-Info to somehow smooth out guilt for this, but I'm wildly afraid to go out. But I know that I will look for strength to overcome this fear. I will look for the opportunity to do something. And damn it, I do not want to leave - but I really want people in Russia to not be forced to think about political emigration. Because it hurts.

Dasha

It was as if they had planted a close relative. Fear and longing, and also a huge respect for Alexei and Julia. The way they fight and support each other is the brightest and saddest that we have seen recently. The worst thing is that the state openly announced to us that from now on would not even try to look legal, and violence is now the norm.

Alexandra

For me, the arrest of Alexei means complete defenselessness, I want to flee from this country where laws mean nothing, where laws are written and interpreted as convenient to the authorities. Мне стыдно, что власти отказываются услышать народ, что их совсем не волнует, почему же столько людей протестуют, что ими движет?

Мнение народа властям не интересно, они ненавидят нас за наше мнение и готовы бить и убивать за инакомыслие. Я не ходила на митинг, у нас маленький ребенок, мне просто было страшно, что он может там увидеть, как полицейские ведут себя, как бьют беззащитных людей, которые всего лишь хотят, чтобы их услышали. Ходил муж, мы очень волновались, чтобы он вернулся, я просила, чтобы он взял с собой сушки и воду на случай, если его задержат. Хочется бежать из этой страны. Стыдно и страшно.

Tanya

Мне почему-то больно. Больно, и челюсти сжимаются от бессильной злобы. Чувствую себя крошкой, неважной песчинкой, которую очень просто раздавить или смахнуть. Ужасают цинизм и масштаб происходящего.

Anastasia

Я живу за границей и дистанционно учу детей по всему миру русскому языку и литературе. Завтра мои ученики-подростки зададут вопросы о том, что происходит в России. Современное поколение детей удивительное. Они умеют критически мыслить, умеют ставить вопросы и анализировать прошлое и настоящее, они сравнивают информацию на нескольких языках и делают выводы. И мне больно, что мы обсуждаем сегодняшнюю Россию, мою родину и родину родителей моих учеников, используя слова «пропаганда, беззаконие, нарушение прав человека». Я ожидаю и боюсь завтра услышать от учеников вопрос: «Почему люди в России терпят и молчат даже после такого бессовестного судилища?» Я не знаю, что им ответить. И мне стыдно смотреть им в глаза.

Karen

Живу в Армении. Вижу, что Россия идет по тому же пути, что и Армения. Сначала борьба против режима, затем приходит сияющий, в белых доспехах освободитель-драконоборец (у нас — Никол Пашинян, в России потенциально — Навальный), поначалу почти все счастливы, а потом страна начинает разваливаться и скатываться в хаос и намного худшую диктатуру, чем было при прошлом «кровавом режиме».

Вдруг оказывается, что сияющий драконоборец, кроме как чесать языком и делать лайвы, ничего другого не умеет и учиться не хочет. Что вся его команда — сияющие пустышки. Что все его «простые рецепты» в реальности не работают, а, наоборот, ухудшают то, что было. Чтобы удержать власть, он начинает, как и все популисты, сеять вражду, назначать виновных и демонизировать любого, кто осмелится его критиковать, и раздувать культ собственной личности.

Я понимаю, что в редакции «Медузы» такой взгляд на события крайне непопулярен. Происходящее сейчас в Армении та же «Медуза» почти не замечает и не освещает (а ведь у нас до сих пор в стране военное положение, хотя капитуляция была подписана 9 ноября!).

Но я рад, что Навального закроют.

PS Нет, я не фанат Путина.

Maria

Вся эта ситуация — это одна сплошная метафора. Здесь даже не важно, прав Навальный или нет, иностранный агент он или нет, лучший ли он как лидер оппозиции или нет. Важно отсутствие честности, справедливости, которое ярко проявляется в действиях силовиков и судей. Все принципы, на которых я выросла, сейчас рушатся, и мир, который я хочу видеть вокруг, складывается как карточный домик. Вот почему сегодня я плачу

Mayan

Я вижу бессилие нынешнего режима. Его слабость, трусость и мерзость. Суд над Навальным для меня — как суд над каждым гражданином России. Нас пытаются прогнуть, сделать удобными — молчаливыми и боязливыми. Но у нашей власти нет бесконечного ресурса. Они должны служить народу! Я думаю, что каждый гражданин России должен осознать, что он и есть ресурс власти. Каждый водитель автобуса, учитель, полицейский или чиновник. Никогда не поздно начать жить по совести, по нормальным человеческим принципам, становиться каждый день лучше себя вчерашнего.

Diana

I'm very scared.

Письма читал Юрий Сапрыкин — младший