About women. Using one as an example. My co-defendant. A stupid word — “co-defendant,” right? Outside prison you rarely hear it, but in prison camps and penal colonies it’s very common. Most often in the context of, “I’m doing time because my accomplice gave me up.” My co-defendant scares Putin’s authorities so much that even though she is charged in the same case as I am, she is being tried separately in Ufa. They’ve even declared the trial closed — no journalists, no public. A few years ago, someone brought me a résumé: “Look at this amazing woman who wants to head our headquarters in Ufa.” Lilia Chanysheva. An auditor at a Big Four firm, excellent education, a successful career, strong prospects. A salary several times higher than anything we could pay. We’ve always had lots of incredibly impressive volunteers. But this was different. This wasn’t someone volunteering for three months — this was someone quitting her job to lead a headquarters office in one of the toughest regions. Politics in Bashkiria (Bashkortostan, a republic within Russia) means lawlessness, corruption, total election fraud, and the moral and physical suppression of any opposition. But when we asked Lilia about that, she was almost offended: “But you believe that fighting for freedom matters more than anything else. Why would you assume it could be any different for me? I love my republic, I love Ufa, I want to live here and fight for a normal life.” Chanysheva gave everyone a master class. In a region where political life seemed crushed, she organized rallies and marches. She wasn’t afraid of being arrested for them, which happened often. At public hearings on the Bashkortostan budget, she spoke in a way that made it obvious to everyone: she was head and shoulders above the officials. She fought the local mafia to protect Mount Kushtau. She blocked corrupt contracts. She published investigations. She became a national political figure and the leader of the republic’s opposition — someone who was better than the president and his lackeys in every respect, from having a “positive agenda” to courage and the ability to speak to people. They came to hate her fiercely. The head of the republic, Khabirov, personally made sure that instead of merely opening a case against her, as they did with many leaders of our headquarters offices, she was immediately arrested, transferred to Moscow, and hit with a fabricated, insane charge guaranteeing a long prison sentence. And so the closed trial in Ufa has begun. ________________ But Lilia is still showing a masterclass even now. She no longer writes about the budget process, but about prison transports, searches, and the small joys of a political prisoner — like being allowed a whole minute to talk to her husband through glass. And even from these posts it’s clear how remarkable she is, and what strength she has—a brave and principled woman in politics. So when I’m asked about accomplices, I say that actually I have a female accomplice, and I know for sure that she won’t betray me. And Lilia Chanysheva will not betray any of us. Someday someone will write the history of the opposition movement of the early 21st century, and it will become clear to everyone that its best, most fearless, hardworking, and principled part was women. And still is. Happy March 8 to everyone! Freedom for Lilia Chanysheva! And may Russia soon have a woman president, a woman prime minister, and a woman defense minister. That would clearly benefit the country.