Will Host Capitol Hill Event Tomorrow Calling for Kara-Murza’s Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 18, 2023) —The McCain Institute at Arizona State University (ASU) is condemning the 25-year sentence a Russian court delivered in the trial of political activist Vladimir Kara-Murza. Tomorrow, the McCain Institute is hosting an event at the U.S. Capitol to discuss Kara-Murza’s current detention, mechanisms for his release, and the prospects for a free and democratic Russia. Learn more about that event here.
“We see that in Putin’s Russia, truth is treason,” said McCain Institute Executive Director Dr. Evelyn Farkas. “Vladimir Kara-Murza has been sentenced to a quarter century in prison for speaking the truth. Today, and every day, we at the McCain Institute vehemently condemn this sentence emanating from an arbitrary, wrongful, and unlawful trial held behind closed doors.
An op-ed by the McCain Institute’s Assistant Director for the Democracy Program Pedro Pizano ran in The Washington Post on Saturday, arguing that the sham trial shows the true depravity and rot at the core of Vladimir Putin’s regime. Read the op-ed here. Pizano writes, “The international community must continue to express its concern over the treatment of Kara-Murza and other political prisoners who have been jailed for aspiring to build a democratic Russia as well as for opposing the war [in Ukraine].”
A friend and pallbearer for the McCain Institute’s namesake, the late Senator John McCain called Kara-Murza a “hero.” When Kara-Murza was unjustly detained, the McCain Institute stood up in solidarity. The McCain Institute awarded him the Sedona Forum Courage Award, called for sanctions, sent a public letter to Secretary Blinken last week, and signed a joint statement on the anniversary of his arrest.
About the McCain Institute at Arizona State University
The McCain Institute is a nonpartisan organization inspired by Senator John McCain and his family’s dedication to public service. We are part of Arizona State University and based in Washington, D.C. Our programs advance democracy and human rights, empower character-driven leaders, combat human trafficking, and prevent targeted violence. Our unique power to convene leaders across the global political spectrum enables us to make a real impact on the world’s most pressing challenges. Our goal is action, not talk, and like Senator McCain, we are fighting to create a free, safe, and just world for all.
About Arizona State University
Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American research university, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence, and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social, and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it.
