COPENHAGEN, 13 April 2022 – Following the detention of Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s President and the leaders of the human rights committee expressed grave concern over continuing restrictions placed on fundamental freedoms in Russia and urged the authorities to immediately release him.

Kara-Murza, former candidate for the Russian parliament, author of dozens of columns related to the rule of law in Russia, has recently protested against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and violations of human rights. He was arrested on Monday outside his home in Moscow and sentenced to 15 days in jail. Kara-Murza's lawyer said his client was arrested on charges of disobeying police orders, a charge which he denies.

President Margareta Cederfelt, and officers of the Third Committee Sereine Mauborgne, Michael Link and Johan BuserPresident Margareta Cederfelt (MP, Sweden) and the officers of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s General Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs, Chair Sereine Mauborgne (MP, France), Vice-Chair Michael Georg Link (MP, Germany), and Rapporteur Johan Buser (MP, Sweden) issued the following statement:

“We condemn today this latest act by Russian authorities to silence opposition. The signal they are trying to send is clear: independent voices will be treated as criminals. The detention of Vladimir Kara-Murza, along with the widespread recent crackdown on any form of dissent and the newly adopted laws on anti-war protests and reporting, is shameful and unacceptable.

“The continuing and growing political repression is alarming and must stop. People should not be punished for expressing their opinions. As leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, we call in the strongest possible terms for the Russian authorities to fulfil their commitments to human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

Cederfelt, Mauborgne, Link and Buser added that they will continue to follow and monitor the developments in the country closely.