Global Courant 2023-04-18 02:01:26
Long sentence for a Putin critic
Vladimir Kara-Murza, an activist and journalist, was convicted of treason and sentenced to 25 years in prison about his outspoken criticism of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The unusually harsh sentence provoked international condemnation, with Kara-Murza supporters comparing it to the oppression of the Stalin era.
Many Russian political activists have been prosecuted since the beginning of the war, but Kara-Murza’s sentence is the longest ever handed down. Ivan Pavlov, an acclaimed Russian human rights lawyer, called it “unprecedented” and said even Russian killers were getting shorter prison sentences.
The verdict is likely to send a chilling message to Russia’s remaining anti-war activists as the Kremlin continues to crack down on dissent.
Analysis: The money-poor country is facing one of the biggest economic challenges in its history. It needs funding from the International Monetary Fund to avoid defaulting and falling into recession. But to meet the terms of a deal, officials must raise taxes and cut subsidies — actions that make basic necessities such as food, gas and utilities even more expensive for the nation’s poorest.
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