Jailed opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza on Thursday urged Russians to keep fighting for democracy despite the death of Alexei Navalny in an Arctic prison.
Navalny's death last week sent shockwaves through Russia's opposition, most of which is either in exile, behind bars, or dead.
"I still cannot comprehend what has happened, rationally or emotionally. But if we give in to gloom and despair, that's exactly what they want. We have no right to do that, we owe it to our fallen comrades," Kara-Murza said.
A dual Russian and British citizen, Kara-Murza was sentenced to 25 years in prison last year.
His is the longest-known sentence of all of President Vladimir Putin's jailed critics.
Kara-Murza was also close to Boris Nemtsov, another opposition politician who was killed near the Kremlin in 2015.
And Navalny's death last week raised fears for remaining Kremlin critics imprisoned in Russia.
Kara-Murza's own health has deteriorated in prison — he suffers from serious health problems due to two poisonings, according to his lawyers.
But from his prison in Siberia, Kara-Murza professed hope to "make Russia a normal, free European democratic country."
"Alexei said: don't give up. It's impossible to give up," he said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
