Read Excerpts From Navalny’s Interview With The Times (Published 2021)

In an interview with The New York Times, the Russian opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny discusses life in Penal Colony No. 2 in Pokrov, Russia, where he is being held; President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia; international sanctions imposed on Russia; the upcoming elections for the Duma, Russia’s lower house of Parliament; his poisoning with the chemical weapon Novichok; being tailed by the Federal Security Service, or the F.S.B., the successor agency to the K.G.B.; and a host of other issues. These excerpts have been edited for space and clarity.

How have you been treated in prison?

Before, my zone was famous for fearsome beatings of inmates. Now, nobody is beaten, or at least I haven’t heard about it. But as they say, “At first you work for your reputation, and then your reputation works for you.” And that is true of this prison. People who have the poor fortune of being told they will serve in Pokrov arrive noticeably subdued and afraid. The zone specializes in psychological violence.

This is far and away more sophisticated. They won’t beat you — quite the opposite, with continual provocation, they will put you in a position where you have to beat up somebody else, hit somebody, threaten somebody. And then the deed is done — there are video cameras everywhere, and the administration with great pleasure will open a new criminal case against you on charges of assault, adding a few years to your sentence. To not succumb to provocation, this is the most important thing to learn here.

The first few months, I was really good at this, and now things became calmer. I just decided this would become an excellent Christian practice. We continually talk about loving thine enemy, but really, just try to understand and forgive people you literally couldn’t stand at all just a little while ago. But I’m trying.

What is the likelihood you will be killed in prison?

In interviews, at points like this, there’s usually a remark in parentheses (laughter). You cannot see me right now, but I assure you, I’m laughing.

For many years, I was forced to make excuses in response to questions like: “Why haven’t you been killed yet?” and “Why haven’t you been jailed?” Now that I have both these boxes checked (the one about murder with a side note: “Well, almost”), I’m asked to gauge the probability of my own death while in prison.