WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the first anniversary of Vladimir Kara-Murza’s imprisonment in Russia, democracy and human rights organizations, led by the McCain Institute at Arizona State University, sent a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden calling for a formal declaration of Kara-Murza’s unlawful detention and for his case to be elevated to the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. Kara-Murza, a Russian democracy advocateand U.S. lawful permanent resident, was wrongfully arrested in Russia on April 11, 2022, following a media appearance. In April, a group of democratic organizations and over 81 members of the U.S. Congress recognized the urgency of Mr. Kara-Murza’s situation and made a similar request of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Signatures on the letter include Russian Activist and Kara-Murza’s wife Evgenia Kara-Murza, the McCain Institute, Freedom House, the Free Russia Foundation, the George W. Bush Institute, Global Justice Advisors, the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, Human Rights First, Human Rights Foundation, the Ronald Reagan Institute, and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights.
“Mr. Kara-Murza… clearly meets the criteria that Congress established in law — and that your executive order echoes — for identifying those whose release the United States will aggressively pursue. Given his significant ties to the United States, Mr. Kara-Murza qualifies as a ‘United States national’ under the Levinson Act,” they write in the letter.
The letter continues, “the United States Departments of State and Treasury have already declared Mr. Kara-Murza arbitrarily detained. He needs more help to survive. Russian officials will not grant him the essential healthcare and freedom guaranteed under Russian and international law.”
Read the full text of the letter below:
Dear Mr. President,
On behalf of the family of Russian democracy advocate Vladimir Kara-Murza and the undersigned organizations, we wish to recognize your efforts to secure the release of Mr. Kara-Murza from his arbitrary and unlawful prison sentence in Russia. We applaud your administration’s pursuit of justice for the countless others unlawfully or wrongfully detained by the Russian Federation and countries across the globe.
We request that you direct the Department of State to give Mr. Kara-Murza the official status of wrongfully detained under the Levinson Act (22 U.S.C. 1741 et seq.) and that the U.S. government use its resources, including those under your Executive Order on “Bolstering Efforts To Bring Hostages and Wrongfully Detained United States Nationals Home,” to free him. Over 81 members of the U.S. Congress — including a bipartisan coalition of 50 Senators — recognized the urgency of Mr. Kara-Murza’s situation and made the same request of Secretary Blinken last in April.
Mr. Kara-Murza is a Russian citizen, but he clearly meets the criteria that Congress established in law — and that your executive order echoes — for identifying those whose release the United States will aggressively pursue. Given his significant ties to the United States, Mr. Kara-Murza qualifies as a “United States national” under the Levinson Act, as defined in 22 U.S.C. § 1741e(2)(B). A 10-year resident of Virginia with his wife and three American-born children, Mr. Kara-Murza holds a green card. His circumstances meet seven nonexclusive conditions for unlawful or wrongful detention status under the Act.
Throughout his career as a democratic opposition leader and champion of human rights in Russia, Mr. Kara-Murza forged an enduring friendship with Senator John McCain, even serving as a pallbearer for his memorial. Mr. Kara-Murza is steadfastly devoted to a democratic future for Russia, returning to the country after surviving two poisoning attempts by Mr. Putin’s regime. The late Senator McCain appropriately called Mr. Kara-Murza a “hero.”
In April, Russian authorities sentenced Mr. Kara-Murza to 25 years in prison for speaking publicly against Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and continued repression of civil liberties. Mr. Kara-Murza lost more than 40 pounds during his first year of imprisonment. He further suffers from polyneuropathy from the previous poisoning attacks, which can lead to paralysis.
The United States Departments of State and Treasury have already declared Mr. Kara-Murza arbitrarily detained. He needs more help to survive. Russian officials will not grant him the essential healthcare and freedom guaranteed under Russian and international law.
While we appreciate Deputy Assistant Secretary Micheli’s written assurance to us in April that the Biden administration is working hard to secure Mr. Kara-Murza’s release, Mr. Kara-Murza’s subsequent prison sentence demands that our government make his freedom a priority. Designating Vladimir Kara-Murza as an unlawfully or wrongfully detained person is the necessary and appropriate next step to honor his sacrifices for our shared values.
We look forward to your thoughtful determination.
Sincerely,
Evgenia Kara-Murza
Freedom House, Free Russia Foundation, George W. Bush Institute, Global Justice Advisors, Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, Human Rights First, Human Rights Foundation, McCain Institute, Ronald Reagan Institute, and the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights