Vladimir
Kara-Murza
Awards:
- Sakharov Prize for Journalism as an Act of Conscience
- The Magnitsky Human Rights Award (2017) - Award Winner for Outstanding Russian Opposition Activist
- the Geneva Summit Courage Award
(2018)
- The Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) award, the largest global organisation of individual lawmakers. The PGA Board also decided to unanimously attribute the DDA 2022 to leading Russian dissident and Washington Post columnist Vladimir Kara-Murza (7th Nov 2022)
- the Vaclav Havel Human Rights Prize (Oct 2022), awarded by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which honours "outstanding" civil society action in the defense of human rights
- the Axel Springer Stiftung award, for great personal courage (Nov 2022)
- The Morris Abram award, by UN watch (Nov 2022). Vladimir dedicated the coveted award to all the anti-Putin protesters who have been arrested or detained in Russia.
Who is Vladimir Kara-Murza?
Vladimir is a Russian politician and opposition leader, film-maker, Washington Post contributor, co-founder of the Anti-War Committee of Russia.
Born: 7 September 1981 (41 years old)
Citizenship: Russian and British
Spouse: Evgenia Kara-Murza
Children: Three children
Films: Nemtsov; They Chose Freedom; Dissent and Persecution in Russia
Arrest and Trial in Russia: Arrested on 11 April 2022 in Moscow.
Charged with:
(1) treason for three public speeches in support of political freedom;
(2) membership in an undesirable organisation for speaking at the Sakharov center in Moscow in support of victims of political persecution, and
(3) disseminating false information about the Russian army in Ukraine in the speech to Arizona state lawmakers.
Trial: Trial of Vladimir Kara-Murza began in Moscow on 13 March 2023. He is facing up to 24 years in prison.
Health Condition: Vladimir has been diagnosed with polyneuropathy, a disease affecting peripheral nerves, as a consequence of two severe poisonings in 2015 and 2017. His lawyer's request to release him immediately has been denied by Russian court.
What is Vladimir Kara-Murza known for?
Kara-Murza has played a crucial role in the adoption of the Magnitsky Act sanctions for human rights violators globally, and has testified before parliaments in Europe and North America.
Twice, in 2015 and again in 2017, Kara-Murza was poisoned by an unknown substance by the Russian government, and left in a coma.
Kara-Murza is a senior fellow at the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, as well as a vice-president of the Free Russia Foundation and a visiting fellow at the University of Chicago.
A well as being a political activist, Kara-Murza is also an author and filmmaker, contributing to the Washington Post and in the past also hosting a weekly show on Echo of Moscow radio. He has featured in many media outlets, including the BBC, CBS 60 minutes, NBC Nightly News, Fox News, CNN and MSNBC. Kara-Murza also directed three documentary films: They Chose Freedom, Nemtsov and My Duty to Not Stay Silent.
Comments about Vladimir Kara-Murza:
"One of the most passionate and effective advocates for passage of the Magnitsky Act"- US Sen. John McCain
"A courageous advocate for the democratic process and fundamental universal human rights." - US Sen Ben Cardin
"Vladimir is a hero of the human rights and democracy movement in Russia and beyond – and a person of incredible courage and commitment" - Irwin Cotler, RWCHR International Chair