UK Foreign Ministry Summons Russian Ambassador over Sentencing of Opposition Activist Kara-Murza

The UK has condemned the politically motivated conviction and sentence handed down today in a Moscow court to British dual-national Vladimir Kara-Murza, a human rights activist and critic of the Kremlin.

The UK Foreign Office said it had summoned the Russian ambassador to make clear its condemnation of the conviction after the Kremlin critic was sentenced to 25 years in a Russian prison.

"Vladimir Kara-Murza bravely denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for what it was – a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter," said James Cleverly, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom.

"Russia's lack of commitment to protecting fundamental human rights, including freedom of expression, is alarming. We continue to urge Russia to adhere to its international obligations including Vladimir Kara-Murza's entitlement to proper healthcare," he stressed.

Cleverly said that the UK will continue to support relatives of the opposition leader and will call for the immediate release of Kara-Murza.

In early March, the United States imposed sanctions against a number of Russian individuals involved in the arbitrary detention of Vladimir Kara-Murza.