He was sentenced to 8 years and 6 months last December for reporting the Bucha massacre. His closing argument is one of the smartest and most fearless speeches delivered in a courtroom, and with a full understanding of the consequences
Dear readers, Yesterday I wrote here about the interview with Tomas Venclova recorded by Gazeta Wyborcza. It was only later that I realized that this was the case published on January 5th through the portal “La nuova Europa”, Heir to the magazine “Christian Russia Yesterday and Today” (1960) and then “L’altra Europa” (1985). Also, unlike mine, which is almost automatic, his translation is excellent.
In return, I resort to the closing statement – “the last word”, poslednee slovo, means expert and somber, so – from Ilya Yashin was sentenced last December to 9 to 8 years and 6 months for reporting on the Bucha massacre on his YouTube channel in April. The text was also published in full by the Foglio of December 7 and commented a few days later by Giuliano Ferrara: “The Ilya Yashin case, a warning to our good deniers”. There is no doubt that it is one of the clearest, most intelligent and most fearless speeches delivered in the criminal courtrooms, and with full awareness of the consequences.
Yashin, 39, is one of the most courageous opponents of democracy in Russia. former employee of Nemtsov, longtime friend and dissenter of Alexei Navalny, Co-founder of Solidarność, deputy of the Krasnoselsky Moscow District. Unfortunately, I don’t know enough about the attention that the Ukrainian leadership and public opinion pays to the opposition within the Russian Federation, and I hope it is high. Finally, Zelenskyy’s decision to deliver some of his speeches in Russian seems to be a response in this regard.
Yashin effectively chooses to address his interlocutors — his judges, Vladimir Putin himself — directly by their first and last names. He’s done it in the past too, like when condemned the criminal brutality of Ramzan Kadyrov. In 2015, immediately after Nemtsov’s assassination, Yashin called Kadyrov responsible and invited him to meet him in Grozny and “speak face-to-face, seriously and professionally about the assassination.” “He’s a strange guy,” Kadyrov commented. Shortly thereafter, Yashin published a 65-page report on the “threat to national security” represented by Kadyrov, who was accused of kidnapping and torture, electoral fraud in Putin’s favour, embezzlement and the formation of a private army of 30,000 armed (at the time). , “kadyrovtsy” so notorious today, and in particular the murder of political opponents and journalists. Yashin treated the “Putin cook” and Wagner boss Prigozhin in a similar way. A year ago, Yashin recorded a video calling on Kadyrov to resign: “Listen, Ramzan. I was born and raised in Moscow. This is my country, I live here and I don’t go anywhere else. I’ll tell you frankly that I’m not afraid of you and that I despise you. Because it was your henchmen who killed my friend Boris Nemtsov. Because you’re trying to take my country back to the Middle Ages. Because you indulge in gold and luxury at the expense of all of Russia. I see the power is with you today. But the truth lies with me, and it will win. And no matter how ridiculous it may seem to you, I will only fight you by legal means. Because I’m a civilized man.”
At the end of the trial, Yashin addressed the President of the Court as follows: “I’ll tell you frankly, Oksana Ivanovna, you also impressed me a lot. I noticed with how much interest he listens to the prosecution and defense, how he reacts to my words, how he doubts and thinks. For the regime, she is just a cog in the system that must function smoothly.
But I see before me a living person who takes off his toga in the evening and goes to the same shop where my mother buys ricotta. And I have no doubt that she, like me, is shocked by this war and prays that this nightmare will end as soon as possible… Of course, I’m not expecting a miracle here. She knows I’m not guilty and I know how much pressure the system puts on her. And it’s clear that he has to pronounce a conviction. But I hold no grudges and wish her no harm. And yet you try to do everything that depends on you lest injustice triumph. Remember that not only does my personal destiny depend on your decision, and yours will be a judgment against that part of our society that wishes to live in peace and dignity. That part of society to which, perhaps, Oksana Ivanovna also belongs”.
As for Putin: “Vladimir Vladimirovich, if you consider the consequences of this egregious war, you probably now understand for yourself the very serious mistake you made on February 24. Our army was not greeted with a toss of flowers. They call us executioners and intruders. Now his name will forever be associated with the words “death” and “destruction.” You have inflicted a terrible misfortune on the Ukrainian people, for which you will probably never be forgiven. In reality, it is waging war not only against Ukrainians, but also against their compatriots. They send hundreds of thousands of Russians into the hell of battles, many of whom do not return home but turn to ashes. Many become maimed and lose their sense of what they have seen and experienced. For them, this is just the statistics of losses, numbers that need to be entered in the column. But for the majority of families, it is the excruciating pain of losing husbands, fathers and children. They take away the houses of Russian citizens. Hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens left Russia because they don’t want to kill and be killed. People are running away from you, Mr. President. Could it be that he didn’t notice? They are undermining the very foundations of our economic security. As we convert our industry to military production, it sets our country back. Our priority is again tanks and guns, and everyday life knows poverty and injustice again. Have you forgotten that this policy has brought our country down before? It is likely that my words will echo like the screams in the desert, but I urge you, Vladimir Vladimirovich, to stop this madness immediately. We must recognize that our policy towards Ukraine is wrong, withdraw troops from its territory and move towards a diplomatic settlement of the conflict. Don’t forget that every new day of war means new casualties. That’s enough”.
Actually enough.