Assistant Murder Charge Considered for Putin Critic

Kremlin Critic Charged with Treason

Moscow prosecutors are considering charging Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza with state treason, Russian media reported Tuesday, May 16.

Kara-Murza, a prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was arrested in April on charges of spreading false information about Russia's military following an appearance on state television in which he criticized the government's actions in Ukraine.

Sources close to the investigation told Russian media that prosecutors had now decided to charge Kara-Murza under Article 275 of the Russian Criminal Code, which covers a range of activities deemed to be "high treason" or "espionage."

Treason Charge Carries Heavy Penalties

The charge of state treason is a serious one in Russia and carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

If convicted, Kara-Murza would become the latest in a long line of Kremlin critics to be imprisoned on politically motivated charges.

In recent years, Russia has cracked down on dissent, with many opposition figures being imprisoned or forced into exile.

International Condemnation of Charges

The international community has condemned the charges against Kara-Murza, with the European Union and the United States calling for his immediate release.

Human rights groups have also spoken out against the charges, accusing the Russian government of trying to silence its critics.

Kara-Murza's arrest and the possibility of a treason charge against him are seen as a further sign of the Kremlin's crackdown on dissent.

It remains to be seen whether Kara-Murza will be convicted of treason, but the charges against him signal that the Russian government is determined to suppress any form of opposition to its rule.