Russian opposition activist given 25-year prison sentence after treason conviction
Vladimir Kara-Murza has been an outspoken critic of the Kremlin, as Ian Woods reports
Opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza has been convicted of treason and sentenced to 25 years in prison after criticising the war in Ukraine.
The Russian-British former journalist is just one of a number of people who have been imprisoned or forced to flee Russia.
Kara-Murza has survived two poisonings he has blamed on the Kremlin following his arrest year ago.
He has rejected the charges against him as political and likened the judicial proceedings to the show trials during the rule of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly called for Kara-Murza's "immediate release" after hearing of the activist's sentence.
In a statement, Mr Cleverly said: “Vladimir Kara-Murza bravely denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for what it was – a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter.
“Russia’s lack of commitment to protecting fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression, is alarming.
“We continue to urge Russia to adhere to its international obligations, including Vladimir Kara-Murza’s entitlement to proper healthcare.
“I pay tribute to Mr Kara-Murza and his family, including his wife Evgenia and her unwavering commitment to raising her husband’s cause on the international stage. The UK will continue to support them and to call for Mr Kara-Murza’s immediate release.”
In his final statement last week, Kara-Murza said that he remains proud of standing up to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “dictatorship” and his decision to send troops into Ukraine.
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“I know that the day will come when the darkness engulfing our country will clear,” Kara-Murza said in remarks last week that were posted on social networks and Russian opposition media.
“And then our society will open its eyes and shudder when it realises what terrible crimes were committed in its name.”
The charges against Kara-Murza stem from his March 2022 speech to the Arizona House of Representatives in which he denounced Russia’s military action in Ukraine. Investigators added the treason charges while he was in custody.
Russia adopted a law criminalising spreading “false information” about its military days after it sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Authorities have used the law to stifle criticism of what the Kremlin calls “a special military operation.”
It comes as imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny is reportedly in failing health after a suspected poisoning.