Vladimir Kara-Murza Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Criticizing Kremlin and Denigrating Russian Military

Prominent Kremlin Critic Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

A Moscow court on Monday convicted prominent Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza of treason and denigrating the Russian military, sentencing him to 25 years in prison. Kara-Murza, who has twice survived poisonings he blamed on the Kremlin, has been behind bars since his arrest a year ago.

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. He also likened the judicial proceedings against him to the show trials during the rule of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

US Ambassador to Moscow Lynne Tracy has condemned the jailing of Kara-Murza, saying the criminalization of criticism in Russia is “a sign of weakness, not strength.” She added that the US would continue to work for a Russia where dissent from the government was allowed.

Kara-Murza’s supporters have also spoken out against the sentence, calling it an attempt to silence dissent in the country. In his final statement, Kara-Murza said, “I know that the day will come when the darkness engulfing our country will clear.”

The jailing of Kara-Murza has been widely condemned by human rights groups and international organizations. The European Union has called for his immediate release, and the United Nations has expressed concern over the criminalization of dissent in Russia.