Vladimir Kara-Mursa, one of Vladimir Putin’s main opponents, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. The ex-journalist was charged with high treason, among other things. The Kremlin critic again found clear words in court.
A Moscow court has sentenced opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Mursa to 25 years in prison. The court ruled on Monday that Kara-Mursa is guilty of, among other things, high treason. The court followed the request of the public prosecutor, who had demanded 25 years in prison. The 41-year-old ex-journalist with Russian and British passports is one of the Kremlin’s fiercest critics.
He was arrested in April 2022 after criticizing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In an interview broadcast by the US news channel CNN a few hours before his arrest, he said that Russia was ruled by “a regime of murderers”. Kara-Mursa’s sentence is the longest sentence imposed on an opponent of Putin.
In his final speech at the trial, Kara-Mursa compared his trial to one of Joseph Stalin’s show trials in the 1930s. He refused to ask the court for an acquittal. He stands behind everything he has said and is proud of it. “Criminals must pay for their crimes. On the other hand, I am in prison because of my political views. I also know that the day will come when darkness will descend upon our land,” he said.
According to his lawyer Maria Eismont, the politician is in poor health. She recently said that her client had lost 17 kilograms in custody.
Was Kara-Mursa poisoned twice?
Kara-Mursa has been a politician who has opposed President Vladimir Putin for many years. He lobbied foreign governments and institutions to impose sanctions on Russia and individual Russians for alleged human rights violations.
In 2015 and 2017 he collapsed with symptoms of poisoning and barely survived. Kara-Mursa and his supporters say he was the victim of attacks. Kara-Mursa was being pursued by FSB agents alleged to have been involved in the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, according to research by the Bellingcat research group. Russian authorities deny any involvement in the alleged attacks. His three children and his wife have lived in the US for many years.
According to his lawyer Maria Eismont, the politician is in poor health. She recently said that her client had lost 17 kilograms in custody.
“I only blame myself on one point,” Kara-Mursa said in court. “I have not been able to sufficiently convince my compatriots and politicians in democratic countries of the danger that the current Kremlin regime poses to Russia and the world.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
