Readers of National Review are well familiar with Vladimir Kara-Murza. He is a Russian democracy leader and political prisoner. I have written about him, and podcasted with him, many times over the years. I have also written about and podcasted with his wife, Evgenia. See this piece, if you like: “In Dark Times, a Brave Man.”
Today, Evgenia Kara-Murza and Natalia Arno, who is the president of the Free Russia Foundation, have sent an urgent appeal. I reproduce it below, lightly edited. The authors refer to Sergei Magnitsky — who, as you remember, was the lawyer who was effectively tortured to death in a Russian prison in 2009. After him, the Magnitsky acts of various democratic governments are named: acts allowing for the sanctioning of individual human-rights abusers (rather than whole societies).
The appeal of Evgenia Kara-Murza and Natalia Arno:
As the wife and friend of Vladimir Kara-Murza, we are asking the leadership of the U.S. government to make all efforts to free Vladimir Kara-Murza from a Russian jail. As you may know, Vladimir’s health has suffered greatly since his politically motivated jailing nearly one year ago. In addition to having lost over 45 pounds, he was recently diagnosed with polyneuropathy, which is on the list of medical conditions that, under Russian law, prevent the detention of a person. He has lost feeling in both of his feet — symptoms similar to those he experienced after he was poisoned in 2015. According to the Russian authorities, Vladimir was not brought to the courthouse for his hearing today because “he is undergoing treatment” in the prison clinic.
The comparison of Vladimir to Sergei Magnitsky is very ominous, including that the presiding judge, Sergei Podoprigorov, is the man who arrested Mr. Magnitsky. We are now watching what happened to Mr. Magnitsky in real time with Vladimir. Only there is one difference. Vladimir is a U.S. resident and has been a tireless human-rights campaigner in the United States, meeting with many of you over the past dozen years to advocate for a U.S. policy toward Russia that promotes what is good in all of us.
In his time of need, we call on you to speak with a single voice to bring Vladimir home so he can get proper medical attention. The Russian government should be put on notice that should Vladimir suffer the same fate as Mr. Magnitsky the penalties that will be imposed by the U.S. government will pale in comparison to those that followed the death of Mr. Magnitsky.
May I add, too, that Vladimir is a friend of mine, and one of the greatest people I know, or know of. He is a force for great good in the world (which is why he is being persecuted). Those of you who pray may wish to include him in your own, our own, urgent appeals.