Independent journalists and human rights activists are demanding that the criminal proceedings against opponent Vladimir Kara-Murza be stopped and that he be immediately released from the pre-trial detention centre. Statement published on the website of the journalism prize “Editorial Committee”.
According to the authors of the appeal, “all accusations against Vladimir Kara-Murza are politically motivated, and the accusations of treason are particularly cynical. It was Kara-Murza who made it clear to politicians in Western countries that this was not not the fault of the repressive actions and aggressive foreign policy of the Russian state “the whole country, but specific people,” the petition states.
Today, Kara-Murza is in a remand center and awaits a monstrous in his cruelty, in fact, a life sentence, in fact, for words, words against war.
The sentence requested by the prosecutor – 25 years in prison – “is a striking example of the return of today’s Russia to the practices of political terror of Stalin”, indicates the press release of support for the opponent. “Today, Kara-Murza is in a remand center and awaits a monstrous in his cruelty, in fact, a life sentence, in fact, for words, words against the war”, recall the authors of the petition. They call on the Russian authorities “to judge the assassins and the criminals, and not the honest citizens who dared to think and speak the truth” and “to stop Russia’s new slide towards Stalinism and the totalitarian system”.
The petition has already been signed by more than 70 people: journalists, human rights activists, political scientists, activists, writers and opposition politicians. Among them are Dozhd editor-in-chief Tikhon Dzyadko, human rights activist Alexander Cherkasov, writer Mikhail Zygar, Navalny associate Lyubov Sobol, helpline founder Ilya Krasilshchik and editor in chief of Mediazona Sergei Smirnov.
Vladimir Kara-Murza has been in prison since April 2022. In early March, the court extended the arrest for another six months. Three criminal cases were brought against the politician: on alleged forgery about the Russian army, on high treason and on carrying out the activities of an “undesirable organization” to work with Open Russia. While in the remand center, Vladimir Kara-Murza lost 17 kilograms. In the middle of March, he could not participate in one of the court hearings due to a deterioration in his well-being. The chief neurologist of the Federal Penitentiary Service in Moscow diagnosed him with polyneuropathy. This diagnosis is included in the list excluding stay in remand prison. However, the court refused to review the medical documents and transfer the politician to house arrest. On April 6, the prosecutor requested 25 years in prison against the opponent.
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