On Monday, a Moscow court will sentence Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza, who denies treason accusations, to up to 25 years in prison.
Kara-Murza, 41, a father of three and former journalist with Russian and British passports, spent years as a lawmaker opposing President Vladimir Putin and lobbying foreign governments and institutions to criticize Russia and Russians for human rights breaches.
After Kara-Murza criticized Moscow’s “special military operation” in Ukraine, official Russian prosecutors demanded a 25-year sentence for treason and degrading the military.
The court will begin its verdict at 11 a.m. (0800 GMT).
In his final court speech, kara-Murza compared his prosecution to a 1930s Stalin show trial. However, he did not beg the court to acquit him and claimed he was proud of his statements.
Criminals should repent. I’m imprisoned for my politics. “I know the darkness over our country will lift,” he added.
Kara-Murza and his supporters claim he survived two poisonings. Russia denies the strikes.
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