A posthumous autobiography penned by Alecsei Navalny, the former Russian opposition leader, illustrates his conviction of meeting his end behind bars. The New Yorker featured a preview of the memoir on Friday, ahead of the publishing of the volume entitled ‘Patriot’, scheduled for October 22nd.
Navalny, considered President Vladimir Putin’s most substantial adversary, campaigned tenaciously against rampant corruption in Russia’s political sphere. His life tragically ended in a secluded Arctic correctional facility in February, amidst a lengthy 19-year imprisonment for multiple offences, including establishing an extremist faction. Navalny stated that these charges were purely for political gain.
He was incarcerated in 2021 on his return from a recuperative stay in Germany, where he was treated for suspected nerve gas toxicity, which he attributed to the Kremlin. This was followed by the imposition of three additional jail terms. The Russian administration adamantly refutes any role in Navalny’s alleged poisoning or his subsequent demise.
In April, the book ‘Patriot’ was unveiled by Alfred A Knopf Publishers, terming it as the deceased political leader’s ‘final message to the world.’ According to the publisher, Navalny started drafting the book during his recuperation from the poisonous attack and persisted with it in Russia, both inside and outside prison confines.
The autobiography describes how Navalny faced his confinement, by realistically accepting the most adverse potential outcomes. His worst fear was dying in prison. On March 22nd, 2022, he acknowledged his expected fate in writing, lamenting the life events he would miss, such as farewells, anniversaries, and his grandchildren’s lives.
Nonetheless, ‘Patriot’ portrays a determined Navalny, maintaining his fight against Russia’s ingrained corruption, despite acknowledging his death in confinement. On the same day, he wrote about his unwavering resistance against authoritarianism, and his ongoing efforts, albeit from prison, to dismantle it.
In an extract from his memoir, shared with the public on January 17th, 2024, just a month prior to his passing, Alexei Navalny responds to a question frequently asked by his fellow prisoners and wardens: “Why did you return?”
He stated, “Abandoning or betraying my homeland is not an option for me. When you hold a firm belief, it compels you to defend it, even if this calls for sacrifices.” His statement underlines his determined spirit.
Not only does Mr Navalny’s prose convey his solitude and the daunting conditions in jail, it’s marked by a distinctive sense of humour.
The late opponent tells an anecdote about betting with his solicitors regarding the duration of a fresh jail term: “Whereas Olga envisaged 11 to 15 years, Vadim astonished everyone by proposing an exact 12 years and six months. With my estimate of seven to eight years, I emerged victorious.”
He also expressed his incredulity at the ludicrous mandate of sitting on a hard wooden seat beneath Putin’s image for countless hours as a form of ‘disciplinary activity’.
Alexei Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalnaya, released a statement in April, through the publisher, describing the book not merely as a tribute to her late husband’s existence, but a legacy of his unfaltering defiance against dictatorship. She believed that circulating his story would ‘motivate others to endorse morally correct values and always remember the truly significant principles’.
She further conveyed that his memoir has been converted into 11 languages already and the Russian iteration would “undoubtedly” be published. – AP