Kremlin Critic Vladimir Kara-Murza Faces 25-Year Sentence in Moscow Court for Activism Against Government

Moscow, Russia – Russian prosecutors have asked a Moscow court to sentence Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison for criminal charges. The charges are related to his activism against the government.

Kara-Murza is a prominent critic of the Kremlin and has been a vocal opponent of President Vladimir Putin. He has been arrested multiple times and has faced numerous charges, including fraud and inciting hatred.

The request for a 25-year sentence comes as tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate. On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron urged Beijing to talk sense to Russia over the war in Ukraine. In response, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed willingness to speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

During a meeting with European Union Commission Chief Ursula Von der Leyen and Macron, Xi said he hoped Moscow and Kyiv could hold peace negotiations as soon as possible. However, the Ukrainian military reported that battles continue in parts of eastern Ukraine, with Ukrainian troops focused on the battered city of Bakhmut to try to exhaust the Russians.

The sentencing of Kara-Murza is seen as a sign of the Kremlin’s continued crackdown on dissent. The case has been widely condemned by international human rights organizations, who have called for Kara-Murza’s immediate release. It remains to be seen how the court will rule on the prosecutors’ request.