On Monday, dozens of Russian journalists and rights activists demanded the release of a major opposition lawmaker facing up to 25 years in prison for suspected treason and other politically motivated accusations.
The petition to free Vladimir Kara-Murza, 41, came ahead of a Moscow court hearing as his trial, which media compared to Stalin’s political horror in the 1930s, nears its end.
On Thursday, Russian state prosecutors demanded a 25-year prison term for Kara-Murza, a father of three and novelist and former journalist with Russian and British passports. His lawyer Dmitry Prokhorov expects a final address on Monday.
Kara-Murza has opposed Putin for years and encouraged international governments and institutions to criticize Russia and Russians for human rights breaches.
After criticizing Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine, Moscow’s crackdown on dissent, and Putin, prosecutors charged him with treason and undermining the Russian military.
After deploying tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February last year, Russia passed draconian wartime censorship measures that have silenced dissenters across society.
“Discrediting” the army carries a five-year term while distributing false information about it carries a 15-year punishment.
Pro-government lawmakers have called Russians who doubt Moscow’s actions in Ukraine a pro-Western fifth column aiming to sabotage the military effort.
Several exiled journalists signed Kara-release Murza’s letter. It said Kara-Murza was punished for opposing the war.
“Russian authorities, law enforcement, and courts must return to justice. Prosecute murderers and criminals, not honest and responsible individuals who say and think the truth, “the letter said.
Halt Russia’s new Stalinist and totalitarian decline.”
The authorities ignored the letter because many of its signatories were traitors who wanted to destroy their nation in combat.
Kara-Murza and his followers claim he survived two poisonings. However, Russian authorities reject the assaults.
Comment Template