The British government on Monday condemned the “politically motivated conviction” of Russian dissident Volodymyr Kara-Murza, who also holds British citizenship, after 25 years in prison, demanding his “immediate release” and summoning the Russian ambassador, AFP and Agerpres report.

Volodymyr Kara-MurzaPhoto: Kommersant photo agency / ddp USA / Profimedia

“Britain will continue (…) to call for the immediate release of Mr. Kara-Murza,” Foreign Minister James Cleverley said.

The Foreign Office said it had summoned Russian Ambassador Andriy Kelin on Monday to tell him that London considered Kara-Murza’s conviction “contrary to Russia’s international human rights obligations”.

And the German government “with the greatest firmness” condemned the verdict handed down to Volodymyr Kara-Murza.

“This verdict, like many others, is aimed at discouraging, excluding and suppressing any critical voice” in Russia, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Andrea Sasse said at a regular press conference, calling for the opponent’s “immediate release.”

“I can tell you on behalf of the federal government that we strongly condemn this verdict,” she added.

“The Russian authorities must immediately release him”

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk reacted by calling for Kara-Murza’s release “immediately”.

“No one should be deprived of their freedom for exercising their human rights, and I call on the Russian authorities to release him immediately. While he is in custody, he must be treated humanely,” the High Commissioner said in a statement sent to the press.

At the end of the closed trial, a Moscow court announced on Monday that it had found Volodymyr Kara-Murza guilty of “treason”, spreading “false information” about the Russian military and illegal activities of an “undesirable” organization.

Therefore, he was sentenced to a total of 25 years of imprisonment in a high-security prison, as requested by the prosecutor’s office.

  • Read also: Who is Volodymyr Kara-Murza, a dissident sentenced by Moscow to 25 years in prison

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