Australia imposed sanctions against Russians for poisoning of opposition figure Kara-Murza
Australia has imposed sanctions against Russians for the poisoning of opposition figure Kara-Murza (photo: Getty Images)
Australia has imposed sanctions against 13 Russians allegedly involved in the poisoning of opposition politician and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza, according to Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong.
Today, Australia has implemented targeted financial sanctions and travel bans against three agents of the Federal Security Service (FSB) implicated in the poisoning of Russian opposition figure and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza in 2015 and 2017.
Australia has also imposed targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on ten individuals, including a Russian deputy minister, associated with politically motivated arrests, legal proceedings, and the sentencing of Mr. Kara-Murza.
"Those responsible for Russia's appalling repression against civil society, human rights defenders, independent journalists, opposition figures, and minority groups must be held accountable," stated Penny Wong.
According to the list published on the website of the Australian government, among those subject to sanctions are:
- Judges of the Moscow City Court Vitaliy Bilitckiy and Katerina Dorokhina,
- Judge of the Basmanny District Court Elena Lenskaya,
- Prosecutor Boris Loktionov,
- Deputy Minister of Justice Oleg Svyridenko,
- Head of the Main Investigative Directorate Denis Kolesnikov,
- Investigator of the Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Andrey Zadachin.
The case of Kara-Murza
Journalist and opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza was targeted for poisoning attempts in 2015 and 2017.
Despite the onset of a full-scale war in Ukraine, Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza remained in Russia. In the spring of 2022, he was arrested on charges of spreading misinformation about the Russian army, and later, two more criminal cases were filed against him, accusing him of state treason.
In mid-April 2023, Kara-Murza was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The trial took place in a closed regime.
A few days later, the United Kingdom imposed additional sanctions against five Russians in response to the opposition figure's verdict.
In early June, the EU also imposed sanctions against nine Russians involved in the arrest of Kara-Murza.
