February 19, 2024 12:30 PM ET
Some of Navalny's communications during his captivity have been released.
From CNN's Anna Chernova and Zahid Mahmoud
Letters and correspondence obtained by US-based media company Free Press (FP) and independent media organization Holod. Media has revealed that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has died at the age of 47, had been interacting with famous rejectionist Natan Sharansky and readers of a magazine. Holod.Media at the request of the organization.
The term “denier” referred to people who were refused exit visas in the Soviet Union.
According to the letter published by FP, correspondence between Navalny and Sharansky began on April 3, 2023 and continued until April 17, 2023. FP published two letters written by Mr. Navalny to Mr. Sharansky and one letter written by Mr. Sharansky in response.
Navalny's team told CNN it is “safe to assume” that the letter was written by Navalny.
The letter, published by FP, refers to Sharansky's prison cell as his “alma mater” and jokes that there is no better place for Navalny to spend Holy Week than in prison. From what he said, a common sense of humor can be seen between the two. According to FP, Cell.
Navalny first contacted Sharansky from the penal colony IK-6 on April 3 last year and said he expected Sharansky to be transferred to the same colony where he had previously served his sentence. “There will probably be a nameplate,” he added. “Natan Sharansky was held here,” the letter published by FP states.
FP said that before making contact, Navalny had obtained a Russian version of Sharansky's memoir, “Fear Not,” from his lawyer. In his second letter, Sharansky said he was in a “tender shock” after receiving the letter and replied “not only as a 'writer to readers'” but also as an “admirer”. .
