A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers marked the two-year anniversary of Vladimir Kara-Murza’s imprisonment, calling for his immediate release. Kara-Murza, a Kremlin critic, is currently in solitary confinement in a Siberian maximum-security prison after being sentenced to 25 years for treason and related charges. The Moscow City Court convicted him of “high treason” for speaking out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, making his sentence the longest term given to a political prisoner in the post-Soviet era.
Sens. Ben Cardin and Roger Wicker led a group of 80 lawmakers in urging the Biden administration to declare Kara-Murza as “unlawfully and wrongfully detained.” The State Department, however, did not provide specifics on efforts to give the designation sought by lawmakers. Russian human rights lawyer Grigory Vaypan described Kara-Murza as Russia’s “prisoner number one” and stated that his life is in danger, especially following the murder of Alexei Navalny. Kara-Murza, who has been poisoned twice in the past by Russian agents, is now essentially on “Putin’s death row” as his health deteriorates in solitary confinement.
Memorial, Russia’s oldest human rights group, has identified around 700 political prisoners in Russia today. These prisoners are subjected to isolation and punishment to prevent them from criticizing the Russian government. Grigory Vaypan highlighted that since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, more people have been jailed for expressing their right to free speech. The pressure on political prisoners has also increased, with authorities resorting to measures like solitary confinement, deprivation of food, and limited communication with loved ones.
Kara-Murza’s wife, Evgenia, spoke about the targeted attacks on Russian opposition figures by the Putin regime, including the deaths of Alexei Navalny and Boris Nemtsov. She emphasized the courage and principles of those who stand up against the regime’s oppressive tactics. Evgenia quoted her husband, saying, “It is my hope that when people in the free world today think and speak about Russia, they will remember not only the war criminals who are sitting in the Kremlin but also those who are standing up to them because we are Russians too.”
The letter sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken from lawmakers emphasized the urgency of releasing Kara-Murza, citing concerns about his deteriorating health and the risk to his life in Russian custody. The Biden administration’s response regarding the status of Kara-Murza’s detention remains unclear, raising questions about the actions being taken to pressure the Russian government for his release. The bipartisan effort to advocate for Kara-Murza reflects growing concerns about the human rights situation in Russia and the need to hold the government accountable for its treatment of political dissidents.
Overall, the case of Vladimir Kara-Murza highlights the ongoing crackdown on dissent in Russia and the challenges faced by political prisoners in the country. His imprisonment, along with the deaths of other opposition figures, underscores the risks faced by those who speak out against the Putin regime. The international community’s response, particularly from U.S. lawmakers, plays a crucial role in calling for justice and freedom for individuals like Kara-Murza who are unjustly detained and at risk of harm. There is a clear imperative to continue advocating for human rights and democracy in Russia to hold the government accountable for its actions.
