The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament strongly condemns the politically motivated conviction of Vladimir Kara-Murza by Russian authorities. The Group urges the Council to adopt tough sanctions under the EU’s global human rights sanctions regime against Russian judges, prosecutors and all those responsible for the sentence.

In an urgency resolution debated in last week in the European Parliament, Renew Europe demanded the immediate and unconditional release Kara-Murza and Alexei Navalny, as well as the release of all other political prisoners in Russia.

There are serious concerns about Kara-Murza and Navalny’s rapidly deteriorating health in the absence of any access to medical treatment. The EU and the UK should coordinate efforts to set them free and hold accountable those guilty of arbitrary prosecutions, detentions and torture in politically motivated trials.

Speaking in the European Parliament on this topic, ALDE Party Co-President Ilhan Kyuchyuk MEP said:

“On Monday this week, Vladimir Kara-Murza was sentenced to 25 years in prison for alleged ‘treason’. His crime for this absurd sentence? Speaking out and speaking for millions who disagree with Putin’s war.”  

“Stay strong Vladimir. We are with you.”#ALDEParty Co-President @ilhankyuchyuk calls for the release of Russian political prisoner @vkaramurza and EU action in @Europarl_EN 👇 pic.twitter.com/HeflSr7LoF

— ALDE Party (@ALDEParty) April 20, 2023

Guy Verhofstadt MEP (Open VLD, BE) added:

“It is fantastic here in this debate to hear people describing the courage of these two men, Vladimir Kara-Murza and Alexei Navalny. I think that they have an enormous courage. To go back to their country, to Russia, to fight for a free and democratic Russia after they have been poisoned by Putin, both of them.”

ALDE Party MEPs Katalin Cseh (Mometum, HU) and Petras Austrevicius (Liberal Movement, LT) also intervened in the European Parliament debate last week. European liberals will continue to advocate for this issue, including at the upcoming Liberal International ExCom in Ottawa, Canada where ALDE Party is organising a panel debate on political prisoners with remarks from Evgenia Kara-Murza, wife of Vladimir.

Photo credit: European Union 2020