Russian government critic Vladimir Kara-Murza is was transferred to a cell in a Siberian penal colony for 6 months under stricter prison conditions, his former lawyer said, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
The official reason for this punishment was that Kara-Murza briefly did not keep his hands behind his back to remove his hat, said Vadim Prokhorov, who was Kara-Murza's lawyer for many years. He then fled Russia but continued to maintain contact with his former client.
On Tuesday, Ilya Yashin, a close associate of Alexei Navalny who died in custody, received a similar sentence.
Moving to such cells is a frequently used form of harassment by the prison administration, especially for political prisoners. The conditions there are particularly harsh. The cell is very narrow, it is forbidden to use beds after waking up and the daily walk in the yard is limited. In addition, only a short meeting with relatives is allowed every six months.
Kara-Murza was sentenced to 25 years in prison in April 2023 on charges of treason. He is internationally recognized as a political prisoner. For years, Kara-Murza has criticized the policies of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine.
The health of the 42-year-old oppositionist seriously suffered after several attempts to poison him, DPA recalls.