Translated material
"Cried when the girl Pechorin was dying"
Letters of Russian Political Economics to the editorial office of Novaya Gazeta
Photo: Ivan Vodopyanov / Kommersant
In December 2023, the New Gazeta in its regular mailing list for political prisoners sent a letter to Dmitry Muratov*, in which he asks important questions about politics, life, and faith.
We publish answers to him political prisoners. It seems to us that these are important evidence of life in captivity. A lot of letters came, all of them were written by hand, and their decryption was a difficult task, so we were able to prepare this publication later than initially calculated. Unfortunately, some answers of our interlocutors about the election of the Russian president are somewhat outdated, but they are very indicative even of the post -fact. We understand that our correspondence friends wrote to us, not having the opportunity to edit their letters, to rewrite or finish them. Therefore, we conducted minimal editing of letters, so that their meaning becomes more clear to readers. We are forced to hide part of the written for censorship reasons - so as not to aggravate the position of the authors. Smileys drawn by hand prisoners, as well as some signs that have semantic meaning in written speech, but absent on the computer keyboard, we replaced with the most suitable words or punctuation.
LETTER
"Cried when the girl Pechorin was dying"
Medvedev Philip Igorevich born in 1998
- Civil activist, National Empire, defendant in Tagansky. Sentenced to 3 years 11 months in prison under Art. 205.2 h. 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (public calls for terrorism) for audio community in April 2022. Deprived of freedom on March 1, 2023. Located in IK-5 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Oryol region.
“This is a completely different matter! A business tone is what I want to hear. Do not understand me wrong, but I did not like all suffering stories at large, but here even more so. I will try to be useful to you!
Socialists with great enthusiasm reacted to the proposal to tell if they were ready to exchange the term for . But let them tell themselves - I gave everyone to the answer of the answer. In the meantime, I will say about those with whom I was contained before. In short, yes, ready. The vast majority of people I met would prefer a contract with the army to conclude in prison. I will say more: more than half of these people want to go to not only mercantile reasons, but also at the call of patriotic duty, which was informed for me in confidential conversations.
My position on this issue is known: I was critical of trying to resolve the Ukrainian crisis by military means. However, my premises are not liberal. I consider Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians by one people, and as a Russian nationalist would want the unification of these peoples into one state through a peaceful political agreement. On the one hand, I am implacatory about Putin’s government and his politics, on the other hand, with the same implacability, I relate to the policy of liberals. Probably, I can name the units of people sharing my position. Among them is a well -known Dmitry journalist Oleg Kashin*.
Hurray, I can finally tell about books! I read 18 books for 11 months of my conclusion, now I read the 19th. The first to read in the special receiver, until the presentation of the 205th article is presented to me. The first was the “war with Hannibal” by Titus Libya, which I began to read even before the arrest, in my besieged special services to the apartment in Moscow. Stunning historical work. Further, my friend Lusine Minasyan handed me to the special cost of “ants” Bernard Verber and the “Khazar dictionary” of Milorad Pavich. “Ants” opened my eyes to the civilization of ants, yes, civilization, I did not make a reservation. The Khazar Dictionary is a brilliant book, I recommend reading it to everyone. Make it your table book. This is the best work of the twentieth century that I read.
Then they put the son of Zhirinovsky in my camera. He was arrested for 15 days by swearing in a public place. ( This refers to the illegitimate son of politician Oleg Eidelstein, arrested in February 2023 for hooliganism. - Ed. ) He admitted to me that he had never read anything in life, for which his father was very scolded. He was handed over to the Hero of our time Lermontov. He wanted to play backgammon, but I gave him advice to read a book. He read. He cursed at Lermontov for showing the Ossetian cowardly, but in general he liked the book. Cried when the girl Pechorin was dying. After 15 days, we were so imbued with each other that he even bequeathed my mattress to me, but I did not have time to use the fruits of his kindness - the next day the era of the pre -trial detention center and other interesting books began. ”
LETTER
"Judges are easily elegant creatures"
Nikitenko Vladislav Nikolaevich born in 1969
- Engineer, journalist, defender in trials. In May 2022, he was placed under house arrest, and in July he was sent to a pre -trial detention center under Art. 280.3. Part 1 of the Criminal Code (discrediting the army) and Art. 297 h. 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (insulting a judge). Sentenced to 3 years in a maximum security colony and a fine of 1 176 506 rubles 36 kopecks. On June 14, 2023, the court of appeal for a month reduced the term and approved the punishment - 2 years 11 months of a maximum security colony. Located in the FCU SIZO-1 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Amur Region.
“My process cannot be captured. He took place closed. And not Art. 280 h. 3, nor 297 h. 2, three episodes on which they added to me, did not belong to such matters as mine. But our judges are easily elegant creatures, so the case was transferred from the city court to the village and the meeting was closed. And the appeal was closed, and cassation.
About the election. Nowhere before I saw so many admirers of V.V. Putin, as among the prisoners. Moreover, the more they served, the more Putin respect.
Even I was ready to exchange the deadline for participation in his. Even before the mobilization, I wrote to the supreme what I wish in the same platoon with Solovyov, Prokopenko, Gurulev, Keosayan and others to land on the island of the snake and hold it heroically. Not taken.
About religion. My grandmother baptized me when I was two weeks of family. The church in which I was baptized now belongs to the Romanian Orthodox Church. During bicycle travels to Ukraine in 2010-2011, I visited laurels and monasteries - Orthodox, Catholic, Greekatolic. For the first time became parted in the Convent of the Catholic Monastery. And now I do not perceive Christianity at all. Especially Vladimir Gundyaev and his whole flock. So from religion smoothly to books.
"Shantharam" is unambiguous. I would recommend to read the “resurrection” of Tolstoy to everyone - both the sales and the FSINESS. I would like to have all the laws in the book - the Criminal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, the PEC, the Plenums and the decisions of the Armed Forces and the Constitutional Court, all the orders of the Ministry of Justice there, etc. And I would like to have a book yesterday. And I would also like to have a Pro Bono lawyer who would work remotely, in the Code of Criminal Procedure and Cas, that is, young and experienced. And the question: are there lists of political faces? Does the UN Human Rights Committee know about us? Why not exchange us for anyone? "
LETTER
"Everyone who has for their intended purpose is advised to admit guilt"
Titarenko Nikolay Romanovich born in 1996
- A resident of the Amur region. It is accused of calls to activities directed against the security of the state (Article 280 of Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). The reason was that Nikolai allegedly left in the comments in the public telegram-chat a generally accessible video of the underground Crimean Tatar movement. Located in the FCU SIZO-1 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Amur Region.
“Regarding the trials. During the time that I am in prison, I heard a lot of things, but there is something in common in all processes. For example, to everyone who has lawyers for their intended purpose, these lawyers advise to plead guilty. This is the first. They argue this in different ways: they say, they will give you less time if you cooperate with the investigation; They may say that the investigation knows everything, plead guilty; Or "you still sit, and so you have a day in one and a half."
The second is a pre -trial agreement; Roughly speaking, a denunciation or false indications that are compiled by the investigation in the direction in which they need. They can offer different things for this. One accomplices are promised to exit the recognizance not to leave or house arrest, they promise others to give below the lower and exit on parole.
They can also take testimonies from witnesses - I know and heard a lot that from the testimony of such “friends” everyone who reads them is in shock, especially if they know these people - well, they couldn’t write such words in their own words or they don’t even know such words.
You can only add to my business and articles that were charged to me that they can get to the bottom of the pile. So I have a court and a performance soon. As I know, the court will be collegial, they will judge in the military court on video conferences. And tomorrow the extension of a preventive measure. ”
LETTER
"The main icon is my five children"
Shestun Alexander Vyacheslavovich born in 1964
Former head of the Serpukhov municipal district, the father of five children. Was accused under Art. 290 h. 6 of the Criminal Code (bribe), Art. 289 of the Criminal Code (illegal participation in entrepreneurial activity), Art. 159 h. 4 of the Criminal Code (fraud on an especially large scale), Art. 174.1 hours 4 P “B” (legalization of criminally acquired). In August 2022, he was also accused under Art. 296 h. 1 (threat or violent actions in connection with the administration of justice), Art. 297 h. 2 (disrespect for the court), Art. 319 of the Criminal Code (insulting a representative of the authorities).
Sentenced by the totality of sentences to 15 years in prison in a penal colony of maximum security and a fine of 49 595 620 rubles. Since 2023 he has been accused under Art. 321 of the Criminal Code (disorganization of the activities of institutions ensuring isolation from the company). Deprived of freedom on June 13, 2018. The Memorial human rights center believes that the criminal prosecution of Alexander Shestun was caused, among other things, by political motives, in particular, active criticism of local self -government reform in the Moscow region. Located in the pre-trial detention center-1 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in the Tver region.
“According to my personal surveys among the convicts, with the number of 64%“ stop your ”I agree, but from 17%, who“ for ”, does not agree. In my opinion, 34% is a real figure, despite the bots.
90% of the convicts are ready to exchange the term for the contract. It all depends on the conditions. If it will be like Prigozhin, then almost all 90%will leave, except for personnel officers. The remaining 10% are divided into political, pacifists and believers (mainly Muslims). I myself could not believe it for a long time.
Electronic books in zones are unlikely to be. I consider it useful, if suddenly a miracle, books about the Gulag and concentration camps, about deaths, to make it easier from comparison.
"Cancer Corps" Solzhenitsyn.
"Cool route" Evgenia Ginzburg.
Efrosinia Kersnovskaya.
"Say life" yes! " Viktor Frankl.
"Gulag Archipelago" Solzhenitsyn.
Marchenko, I don’t remember the name for sure.
The "outcast" Victor Hugo.
A collection of aphorisms of any author, preferably the maximum of sayings.
Bible (Qur'an).
All works of Hemingway and Remarque. The most popular in prison are “Papiyon” (“Moth”) Henri Sharir and Shantara.
There are no elections for a long time. I was 15 years old head of the Serpukhov district - organized elections. Farce! Even then it was, but now even worse.
Of course, I am always ready to listen to Alexei Uminsky. Everything, including me, pray much more in prison. I despise the commercial activities of the Russian Orthodox Church and militarism. Especially alcohol and cigarettes.
The actions of Admiral Kolchak inspire. Krasnov is the author of the book about Kolchak. The images of Sakharov, Nemtsov, Marchenko, Khodorkovsky are supported in difficult times. I pray for my great -grandfathers Shestunov from Zaporozhye, Osipovsky from Kharkov. The main icon is my five children. The songs of Makarevich, Grebenshchikova , Pugacheva, Shevchuk, “Elsi Ocean”, letters, poems of Galich, Mandelstam, Pushkin, Blok, Pasternak. I teach Brodsky’s poems.
I almost never met the ideological ones, but there is a little bit. The main motive is freedom! There are also few ideological stops from due to compassion for Ukrainians, the opinions of the world community, the punishment of God ... do not want their mercantile reasons: do not spend money, do not get under the shells themselves, go to Europe and the USA, buy good cars, perfumes, clothes, telephones.
I love the poems and songs of Vysotsky, Galich, Okudzhava, Vizbor. In difficult moments, I am supported by the images of Prometheus, Jordano Bruno, Galileo Galileo, a royal family who died at the hands of the NKVD executioners, dissidents Lyudmila Alekseeva, Podrabinka, Ginzburg, etc. I love the history of the Decembrists. I read all the documentary and art books that I came across. I consider Navalny, Kara-Murza, Yashin*, Gorinov, Yuri Dmitriev and less starry political prizes with real heroes. Politzek Lyudmila Razumova, a brave female artist, sits under Tver.
My memories are the main ones - this is study at the Institute of Kostroma (technological) and graduate school . The brightest time. Work as a chief engineer in the regional headquarters of construction teams: bonfires, guitars, songs, mutual assistance, first love. In the most difficult moments, I recall my grandmother Lidia Semenova (mother of my mother), who was born on the street Sailor's silence, next to the pre -trial detention center, where I was sitting. I love the expression of the Orthodox saint: "Save yourself - and thousands will be saved around you." I love many expressions of Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther, Nikolo Machiavelli. Of the Russian classics, I appreciate Chekhov. Once upon a time he studied deeply philosophy at the institute. Favorites: Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Plato, Kant. “The weak do not forgive. Forgiveness is the privilege of the strong ”, Mahatma Gandhi, one of the most beloved.
Yes, I forgot to include Voltaire's “Philosophical Tales” in the list of electronic books for the convicts - this will add positive in the formula “Everything that God does is for the better”.
I shake my hand. He was a subscriber of Novaya Gazeta since its founding. "
Prepared by Olga Allenova