Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and U.S. Representative Jennifer Wexton (D-VA-10), alongside U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA-8), Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA-11), and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-7), wrote to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, strongly urging the immediate designation of Vladimir Kara-Murza as a wrongfully detained U.S. national under U.S. federal law, and to directly engage with the Russian government to secure his release.
Kara-Murza, a journalist, pro-democracy advocate and permanent resident of Virginia, demonstrated exceptional courage in returning to Russia, where he was wrongfully arrested in Moscow in April 2022 shortly after criticizing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a CNN interview. He was charged with treason, spreading false information about the military, and working with an “undesirable” civil society organization. All charges are erroneous and act only to censor free speech and criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his tyrannical rule. Kara-Murza has been in the Russian penal system since his arrest and disappeared from prison in January 2024.
“[Kara-Murza] has dedicated his life to fulfilling the ideals reflected in Virginia’s motto – Sic Semper Tyrannis. The phony charges brought against him speak to the very nature of his wrongful detention,” wrote the lawmakers. “…It is essential that the United States use every tool at its disposal to advocate for his release.”
“The Administration’s efforts to-date to hold Putin accountable for his criminal behavior are highly commendable, and we applaud the Administration’s February 2024 announcement of more than 500 new sanctions on Russia after Navalny’s death,” they continued. “The United States should continue to pressure Putin and his regime to stop persecuting dissidents and to adhere to basic principles of human decency, as expected of any nation in the world. The United States must remain a beacon of hope for all individuals, regardless of the country they live in, who are systematically oppressed by their governments.”
In wake of the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny in prison on February 16, 2024, and amidst serious concerns that Kara-Murza will be the Kremlin’s next target, there is increased urgency in releasing Kara-Murza. The letter encourages the United States to ensure Kara-Murza’s safe return to his wife, children and home.
Senator Kaine and Congresswoman Wexton have consistently advocated for Kara-Murza and wrote to President Joe Biden in October, urging the designation of Vladimir Kara-Murza as an “unlawfully or wrongfully detained” U.S. national under U.S. federal law. Senator Kaine also cosigned a resolution condemning Russia’s unjust and arbitrary detention of Kara-Murza.