On 22 April 2022, a Russian court charged Vladimir Kara-Murza under Russia’s new law that bans the spreading of “false” information about the Russian military, and he could now face up to 15 years in prison. These latest charges against Vladimir Kara-Murza are a blatant fabrication meant to distract attention from Putin’s war crimes and deter other courageous Russians from speaking out against the Kremlin.
In 2015 and 2017, Vladimir Kara-Murza survived two near-fatal poisonings, traced by investigative journalists to Russian authorities. Consequently, we are deeply concerned about Vladimir Kara- Murza’s safety.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, over 15,000 Russians have been detained for criticizing or opposing the war, or peacefully demonstrating against it. In addition, hundreds of Russians have been charged under the same Orwellian law that Vladimir Kara-Murza is accused of contravening. Putin and his regime have shown themselves to be willing to break any law, domestic or international, to suppress political opposition at home and subjugate neighbouring countries. We call on all democratic nations and allies to oppose criminal behaviour like this to protect human rights in Russia and worldwide. Together with the free world, we stand in solidarity both with Ukraine and with Russian civil society in these difficult times.
We condemn the Putin regime’s brutal repression of free speech and independent media in Russia and demand the immediate release of Vladimir Kara-Murza and all the prisoners of conscience whom the Russian government has detained.
Marko Mihkelson
Riigikogu
Estonia
Michael Roth
Bundestag
Germany
Tom Tugendhat
House of Commons
United Kingdom
Rihards Kols
Saeima
Latvia
Marek Ženíšek
Chamber of Deputies
Czech Republic
Marek Kuchciński
Sejm
Poland
Laima Andrikienė
Seimas
Lithuania
Pavel Fischer
Senate
Czech Republic
Bogdan Klich
Senate
Poland
Oleksandr Merezhko
Verkhovna Rada
Ukraine
Kenneth G Forslund
Riksdag
Sweden
Piero Fassino
Camera dei Deputati
Italy
Titus Corlățean
Senate
Romania
Martin Lidegaard
Folketinget
Denmark
Jussi Halla-Aho
Eduskunta
Finland
Pau Marí Klose
Congress of Deputies
Spain
Ine Eriksen Søreide
Stortinget
Norway
Bob Menendez
Senate
United States
Bjarni Jónsson
Althingi
Iceland
Jean-Louis Bourlanges
National Assembly
France
David McAllister
European Parliament
