Vladimir Kara-Murza Transferred to Prison Hospital Amid Health Concerns

Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza, serving a 25-year sentence for treason, has been moved to a prison hospital. His wife, Evgenia, confirmed his transfer and expressed ongoing concerns about his health. Kara-Murza, convicted for criticizing Russia's war in Ukraine, has faced serious health issues, including polyneuropathy, and his legal team was denied visitation.

Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza, currently serving a 25-year sentence for treason, has been relocated to a prison hospital, according to a post by his wife, Evgenia, on X, dated Friday. Kara-Murza, a dual Russian-British citizen, has been a vocal critic of Russia's war in Ukraine and has called for Western sanctions against Moscow.

Evgenia Kara-Murza revealed that her husband was moved to a hospital facility within the prison in Omsk on Thursday evening but did not disclose further details about his condition. His legal representatives, who waited five hours, were denied visitation rights. Kara-Murza suffers from polyneuropathy, a nerve condition exacerbated by surviving two poisoning attempts, and has frequently raised concerns about his incarceration health situation.

In her statements, she highlighted these health worries, which have been reiterated since February 16, coinciding with the death of opposition leader Alexei Navalny in an Arctic penal colony. Kara-Murza's sentence, delivered in April 2023 and described by him as reminiscent of Soviet-era show trials, is the severest issued since Russia's full-scale offensive in Ukraine began in February 2022.

(Disclaimer: With inputs from agencies.)