The international community, including the EU, the Council of Europe and the United Nations, on Monday 17 April denounced the sentencing of Russian political opponent Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in a harsh prison colony by a Moscow court for ‘high treason’, spreading ‘false information’ about the Russian military and working illegally for an ‘undesirable’ organisation, Open Russia.
This “politically motivated” and “outrageously harsh” decision demonstrates “once again” the “abusive” political use of the judicial system to pressure activists, human rights defenders and all voices opposing Russia’s illegitimate war of aggression against Ukraine, denounced the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, in a statement. According to him, this so-called trial did not meet international standards of a fair and public hearing by a competent, impartial and independent tribunal.
Mr Borrell stressed that Russia must ensure access to appropriate health care for Vladimir Kara-Murza, who is in poor health, and all other prisoners. He also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all those imprisoned on political grounds.
For her part, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, considered Kara-Murza’s case to be “another illustration of ongoing repression in the Russian Federation”.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volket Türk, also demanded the immediate release of the political opponent, denouncing “charges that appear to be related to the legitimate exercise of his right to freedom of opinion, expression and association”. “As long as Mr Kara-Murza is detained, he must be treated humanely and with respect for his dignity”, he warned. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)