Notes at the Front

IN JULY, opposition politicians Alexei Navalny and Ilya Yashin, both political prisoners, appeared in court together – virtually – after Yashin was called as a witness by Navalny in his latest kangaroo court trial. Here is some of Yashin’s account, published on the Protest Russia Telegram channel.

Last week, straight from prison, I was connected via video link to Navalny’s court proceedings. He had requested thatvI be called as a witness, and the judge did not object. Alexei himself essentially led the questioning. At times it was actually funny. Navalny, despite all the mistreatment and punishment cells, was cheerful and in fine form. I provide here, from memory (and so it may be preserved in memory), several excerpts from our dialog.

“Ilya, what do you think, why am I on trial?”