Lawyer Maria Eismont said that the Moscow City Court had scheduled the announcement of the verdict against oppositionist Vladimir Kara-Murza at 11:00 on April 17. This was reported by the correspondent of «Mediazona».
Today the politician made his last speech. According to the lawyer, he said that he “loves Russia” and “regrets nothing.” Eismont was unable to quote him to journalists in full due to the fact that the process was closed.
Vladimir Kara-Murza is accused of spreading «fake news» about the army (point «e» of part 2 of article 207.3 of the Criminal Code), participation in the activities of an «undesirable organization» (part 1 of article 284.1 of the Criminal Code) and treason (article 275 UK). During the debate, the prosecutor asked to appoint him 25 years in prison.
Maria Eismont in court. Photo: Mediazona
The criminal case against Kara-Murza became known in April 2022 — after the arrest, the politician was sent to a pre-trial detention center. Initially, he was charged only under the article on military «fakes», later the charge of participation in the activities of an «undesirable organization» was added to the case, and then — under the article on treason.
The first charge was based on the politician's speech in the Chamber representatives of Arizona, the second — participation in a round table at the Sakharov Center. Kara-Murza is charged with an article on treason because of his speech in Lisbon, Oslo and Washington. During his public speeches, the oppositionist condemned the invasion of Russian armed forces into Ukraine.
Kara-Murza has been in a pre-trial detention center for almost a year — his health has deteriorated significantly due to his arrest. In March 2023, doctors diagnosed the politician with polyneuropathy — a significant vascular lesion on both feet. This disease is included in the list of those with which the accused cannot be kept in custody. According to lawyer Maria Eismont, Kara-Murza lost 22 kilograms during his time in the pre-trial detention center.
In 2015 and 2017, the oppositionist was hospitalized with symptoms of poisoning. The Bellingcat investigative group found that before the first poisoning, he was monitored by FSB officers. The same security forces, according to journalists, followed the murdered politician Boris Nemtsov and the poisoned Alexei Navalny. No criminal case has been opened on the poisoning of Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Today, journalists and human rights activists called for the release of Kara-Murza from the pre-trial detention center and an end to his criminal prosecution — a petition with these demands was published on the website of the Journalistic Award «Editorial Board». According to the authors of the petition, the charges brought against Kara-Murza are unfounded, and his case is politically motivated.