Russian Journalist Jailed

Prominent Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza was sentenced yesterday to 25 years in prison on treason charges stemming from his opposition to the war in Ukraine. It is the longest sentence any opposition figure has received in Russia since the war began last February.

The 41-year-old Russian-British journalist has long been associated with noted critics of current President Vladimir Putin, claiming he was poisoned twice in the last eight years by Kremlin officials. Kara-Murza worked with US politicians to pass the 2012 Magnitsky Act, authorizing the US to sanction foreign individuals accused of human rights abuses, a list that includes the judge who sentenced Kara-Murza. The charges partially stem from an antiwar speech Kara-Murza gave to the Arizona House of Representatives last March (see video).

Separately, the US ambassador to Russia visited US journalist Evan Gershkovich Monday, the first time US officials have been permitted access to the reporter jailed last month on spying allegations. Read more on Russian political prisoners here.