「私を殺しても何も変わらない」 生前撮影のナワリヌイ氏取材映像公開

【パリＡＦＰ＝時事】ロシアの刑務所で先月死亡した体制派指導者アレクセイ・ナワリヌイ氏が生前に応じた未公開のインタビュー映像が６日、公開された。この中でナワリヌイ氏は、自分が死んでも「何も」変わらず、他の人が遺志を継ぐだろうと語っている。（写真はロシアの反体制派指導者アレクセイ・ナワリヌイ氏＜２０２１年１月１７日撮影＞）
　映像は、欧州評議会の議員会議の元メンバー、ジャック・メール氏が、２０２０年１２月１７日にドイツ・ベルリンでナワリヌイ氏を取材した際のものだ。
　ナワリヌイ氏は当時、神経剤ノビチョクによる毒殺未遂の被害に遭い、ドイツで療養していた。インタビューはロシアに帰国する直前に行われた。
　仏紙リベラシオンとニュース局ＬＣＩが公開した取材映像でナワリヌイ氏は「もし彼らが私を殺しても何も変わらない」と英語で話している。自分がいなくても周囲は何をすれば良いか分かっているとした一方、さまざまなことはより「難しくなる」だろうと危惧する様子も見せている。
　ナワリヌイ氏は、「私の役目を引き継ぐ人たちがいる」「たった一人が全権を握る国に住みたくない人が何百万人もいる」とし、「これは私の問題ではない。これは私が代表する、代表しようと思う人々の話だ」と述べる。
　また、ロシア当局が反体制派に毒物を使うことについては「恐怖をあおるため」と話し、欧州の一部政治家にも「関わりたくない」と距離を置きたがる向きがあると指摘した。
　ナワリヌイ氏は「人々は不可解な死を恐れている」とし、「それこそが目的なのだろう。（ウラジーミル・）プーチン（大統領）は人々が自らのダーク・パワーを人々が恐れているということを個人的に楽しんでいる」とも語っている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2024/03/07-17:44）

Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who died in prison last month, predicted in previously unpublished testimony in 2020 and released on Wednesday that his death would change nothing and other people would stand in his place.
If they would kill me it changes nothing, Navalny told Jacques Maire, then a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in December 2020, speaking in English.
In the testimony released by French daily Liberation and broadcaster LCI, Navalny said his team knew what to do without him, although he admitted things would be more difficult.
There are other people who are ready to stand (in) my place, he said. There are millions of people who don't want to live in a country where the whole power is just in one (man's) hands, he added.
It's not about me. It's about people who I represent or (am) trying to represent.
He also said the Kremlin had never tried to negotiate with him, adding that the Russian authorities considered him to be radical.
Maire released the videotaped testimony with the agreement of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Navalny was interviewed by Maire on December 17, 2020 in Berlin, ahead of his return to Russia following treatment for Novichok poisoning he blamed on the Kremlin.
Upon returning to Russia in January 2021 he was arrested at the airport and jailed.
On February 16, Russian authorities said Navalny died suddenly in his Arctic prison. His supporters say the 47-year-old was murdered, possibly with the same Novichok nerve agent.
- 'Another immigrant' -
Maire served as rapporteur in the investigation of the Navalny poisoning.
Its objective was to legally qualify the facts and establish the responsibility of the Russian authorities, said Liberation.
Navalny told Maire he did not know if he would be arrested immediately upon his return.
I have no idea -- would I be arrested at the airport? Maybe later... Maybe I will come and they wait until everything settles down and then will arrest me. Or maybe not. I have no idea.
He said Russian authorities wanted him to remain abroad and become another immigrant.
Maire asked Navalny what would happen to his movement if he did not come back.
They know how to operate without me because actually I spent a lot of time every year in prison so they are accustomed to work without me, Navalny said of his team.
The organisation will sustain and will operate but of course it would be more difficult in terms of morale and motivation, Navalny said.
There (are) some other people who can lead.
Navalny's wife Yulia has said she will continue her husband's cause.
- 'Block of granite' -
Navalny said at least half of the country want Russia to be a normal European country and accused President Vladimir Putin of wanting to crush this type of thoughts and political movements.
Navalny said the Russian authorities used poison against Kremlin critics because it's terrifying.
C'mon, even here in Europe. Now I talk to people and some European politicians say... 'I just don't want to mess with this'.
People are afraid of such mysterious deaths, Navalny said.
I think that's the main goal. And Putin personally enjoys the idea that people are afraid of his dark power.
In his testimony Navalny drew parallels to the role of Saudi authorities in the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey.
Everyone knows who ordered the killing of Khashoggi, he said.
Liberation quoted Maire as describing Navalny at the time of the interview as a hyper-determined fighter and a block of granite.