NDI strongly condemns the recent sentencing of Vladimir Kara-Murza following a year in detention in Russia. A longtime opposition politician, journalist, and human rights activist, Mr. Kara-Murza is an outspoken advocate for the democratic aspirations of the Russian people. 

Mr. Kara-Murza’s politically-motivated arrest and conviction reflects the Russian regime’s continued assault on independent voices advocating for democracy, freedom, and human rights. This has included the arrest and sentencing of prominent Kremlin critic and opposition politician Alexei Navalny, former director of the Open Russia pro-democracy group Andrei Pivovarov, and hundreds of other political prisoners detained in Russia today, alongside thousands of other brave and outspoken activists who have been harassed and intimidated for their work.