Escaping the brutal Russian penal system would seem like blessed deliverance to most inmates. But not to Ilya Yashin, who stunned the world last week when he angrily condemned his inclusion in a sweeping prisoner swap that freed him and a handful of other opposition figures in Russia. Instead, he portrayed it as an act of duplicity rather than a benevolent humanitarian gesture. And I say sincerely, more than anything I want now to go back home.”To those who have followed Mr. Yashin’s career, his stance should not have been so surprising. He has spent the last two decades in Russia working against Vladimir V. Putin’s authoritarian rule, knowing that doing so would land him in jail and even preparing for it.

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Persons: Ilya Yashin, ”, Yashin’s, Vladimir V, Yashin, “ Locations: Russia, Bonn, Germany, ”