European Union sanctions nine Russian citizens in connection with sentencing of Vladimir Kara-Murza

On Monday June 5, the Council of the European Union announced sanctions against nine Russian citizens who it says are responsible for the sentencing and subsequent imprisonment of opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza. On April 17, a Moscow court sentenced Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison.

Russian Deputy Justice Minister Oleg Sviridenko, who is responsible for enforcing legislation on “foreign agents,” was put on the sanctions list. Additionally, “judges and other members of the judiciary are also included, as well as a senior officer of the Russian penitentiary system responsible for the degrading treatment, which has led to a considerable deterioration of Kara-Murza’s health,” said the council.

The EU “strongly condemns” the ruling and called on Russia to “immediately and unconditionally release Vladimir Kara-Murza and all those imprisoned for politically motivated charges.”

Josep Borell, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, said:

Vladimir Kara-Murza’s outrageously harsh prison sentence clearly demonstrates the political misuse of the Russian judiciary in order to suppress civil society and independent voices opposing Russia’s illegitimate war of aggression against Ukraine. Today’s sanctions decision demonstrates once again the European Union’s determination to stand in solidarity with all those who are prosecuted, imprisoned or intimidated for fighting for human rights, speaking the truth.

Who else was sanctioned?

The list includes:

Oleg Sviridenko, Russia's deputy justice minister;

Sergey Podoprigorov, judge;

Diana Mishchenko, judge;

Elena Lenskaya, judge;

Ilya Kozlov, judge;

Andrei Zadachin, investigator;

Denis Kolesnikov, investigator;

Danila Mikheev, Director of “Independent Expert”;

Dmitry Komnov, Head of SIZO-5 in Moscow