In a concerning development, lawyers for Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr. disclosed on Tuesday that he has been moved to another prison in Siberia and put in solitary confinement over an alleged minor infraction. Kara-Murza is currently serving a 25-year sentence for treason. The relentless pressure on Russian dissidents has escalated since President Vladimir Putin deployed troops into Ukraine almost two years ago.
Initially held in a penal colony in the Omsk region, Kara-Murza’s whereabouts became uncertain recently. His lawyers, Maria Eismont and Vadim Prokhorov, revealed that he has been transferred to Penal Colony No. 7 in Omsk and placed in a restricted housing unit for at least four months. According to a letter from Kara-Murza, prison officials accused him of disobeying a command that he claims was never given.
Kara-Murza, 42, has faced adversity before, surviving two poisonings that he attributes to Russian authorities. He vehemently denies the charges of treason, asserting that they are retribution for his opposition to Putin. He compares the proceedings against him to the show trials under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
Despite the harsh conditions, Kara-Murza mentioned in his letter that he is “fine,” has enough food, and the facility is warm. His wife, Evgenia Kara-Murza, stated that he spent the past four months in solitary confinement, a tactic frequently used against Kremlin critics to increase pressure.
The arrest of Kara-Murza in 2022 and his subsequent 25-year sentence stemmed from a speech he delivered to the Arizona House of Representatives, denouncing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Memorial, Russia’s leading human rights group and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has declared him a political prisoner.
The clampdown on opposition voices and criticism in Russia has intensified since the war’s commencement. A law criminalizing public expression against the Kremlin’s stance on the conflict has been used to target opposition politicians, human rights activists, and ordinary Russians, leading to lengthy prison terms. The State Duma, Russia’s lower parliament house, is set to consider a new bill that could allow authorities to seize property from those convicted of “spreading false information” about the army.
According to OVD-Info, a prominent rights group, approximately 19,854 Russians have been arrested between Feb. 24, 2022, and Jan. 28, 2024, for speaking out or demonstrating against the invasion. Of these, 825 individuals faced criminal charges for their antiwar stances, while nearly 8,700 faced lesser charges related to discrediting the army, punishable by fines or short jail terms.
Comments