Joint Declaration from the Icelandic Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Tiny Kox, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Leendert Verbeek and the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Dunja Mijatović
“As the Heads of State and Government of the member States gather in Reykjavik for the 4th Summit of the Council of Europe - home of human rights, democracy and rule of law in Europe-, our thoughts also go to Russian opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza unjustly imprisoned in Russia. Mr Kara-Murza, a journalist and politician, was recently sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges linked to his criticism of the war of aggression against Ukraine. The charges against Mr Kara-Murza are unfounded, and together with a sham trial, constitute a clear violation of his human rights.
Mr Kara-Murza is a longstanding proponent of the democratic values defended by the Council of Europe and is a recipient of the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize. His bravery in speaking out against the current government of the Russian Federation and the Russian aggression against Ukraine in a country where opposition is silenced by death, imprisonment or exile, commands our respect.
The Council of Europe strongly condemns the Russian Federation’s escalating repression of those expressing dissent and criticism. It stands in full solidarity with Mr Kara-Murza and his family and calls for Mr Kara-Murza’s immediate release as well as the release of all other peaceful civic and political activists arbitrarily deprived of liberty in Russia.”
