Navalny memoirs spark mix of curiosity, indifference in Moscow

Amnesty said Navalny died simply for opposing Russia’s ‘oppresive government’ – Copyright AFP Yasuyoshi CHIBA

There was a mix of indifference and curiosity in Moscow when late opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s autobiography was published on Tuesday.

Outside the house in Moscow where Navalny lived with his wife Yulia and two children, several former neighbours shrugged at the news.

Valentina, a 60-year-old nurse, said she was “not very interested” by the life of Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s top political opponent.

Anna, 39, an economist, also said she was “not very interested” by the anti-corruption activist and lawyer, who Amnesty International described as “a prisoner of conscience jailed only for speaking out against a repressive government”.

He had “no role in my life”, Anna said.

“Why should I be interested in this book since I know everything already?” Natalia, a 66-year-old pensioner, told AFP after throwing out some rubbish near the apartment building.

But others were much keener to know more about Navalny, who led massive demonstrations against Putin before he was jailed on a string of successive charges, widely seen as repeated punishment for challenging the Kremlin.

His last conviction was a 19-year sentence for “extremism”.

Navalny died in February in an Arctic jail described by Amnesty as one of Russia’s “harshest… following his poisoning, unjust imprisonment and torture in prison”.

Outside the entrance to the home where Navalny lived from 2000 until 2010, 58-year-old Tamara shared a happy of memory of when they would walk their dogs together in the neighbourhood.

“I knew he was an opposition leader but I never got into the detail,” she said with a smile, setting down two heavy bags to speak to AFP.

“His death saddens me on a human level.”

– Uncanny predictions –

Elena, 41, said the Navalny couple were “positive, polite and nice people who joked a lot”.

“Our children went to the same school and loved to stroke their bulldog,” she said, adding that she would read the autobiography if possible.

The book, “Patriot”, is not available in Russia even though it has not been formally banned.

“I would be interested to see life here through their eyes,” Elena said.

Holding back tears, she added: “I feel sorry for him as a person.”

Navalny lies buried in a nearby cemetery.

His funeral on March 1 drew thousands of people despite a heavy police presence.

The grave is always covered with flowers, like those brought by Natalya and Mikhail, a couple from Saint Petersburg, who said they had “not expected to see so many people still coming with flowers”.

“Eight months after his death, life is even sadder,” said Natalya, 27.

She said she was wanted to read Navalny’s memoirs “mainly to find out more about his private life”.

Another couple from Saint Petersburg, Konstantin and Anastasia, both bank employees, said they were “eagerly awaiting” the book.

“His predictions have a tendency to come true, unfortunately,” Konstantin said.