[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 9, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2656-S2657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          Vladimir Kara-Murza

  Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, time is running out. Time is running out 
for Vladimir Kara-Murza.
  I was just at an event across the street with Vladimir Kara-Murza's 
wife Evgenia and their children. It was a bipartisan meeting of House 
and Senate Members and interested citizens. We all agree Secretary of 
State Blinken must secure the release of this U.S. permanent resident 
and Russian political prisoner, Vladimir Kara-Murza, before it is too 
late because, as I said, time is running out.
  In the spring of 2022, Mr. Kara-Murza spoke the truth about Russia's 
evil invasion of Ukraine. The Putin regime responded by arresting Mr. 
Kara-Murza and sentencing him to 25 years in jail for speaking the 
truth.
  Only a corrupt regime would make it a crime to express an opinion to 
speak the truth. But that is what Vladimir Putin has done. He has 
arrested an innocent person and put him in jail for speaking the truth.
  It has been a year since I led a bipartisan group of 81 lawmakers in 
an appeal to the Secretary of State--this same Secretary of State 
Blinken. It was the first anniversary of Mr. Kara-Murza's imprisonment. 
We urged the administration, on a bipartisan, bicameral basis, to label 
Vladimir ``unlawfully and wrongfully detained.''
  We asked for that designation because that title is more than just 
words under the statute. It would prioritize Mr. Kara-Murza's case at 
the State Department, and it would unlock new tools for our negotiators 
to act with speed and success to get him released. And he needs that 
speed.
  Since we last wrote the Secretary about Mr. Kara-Murza, nothing has 
changed; nothing has changed, that is, except his decreasing health and 
increasing danger.
  Mr. Kara-Murza's family has grave concerns that he may not survive 
much longer. So we are talking about the life of this permanent U.S. 
resident. Before this prison term, the Russian dictator, Putin, had 
tried twice to assassinate Mr. Kara-Murza by poisoning him. He was 
indeed poisoned. And although Vladimir survived each attempt, the 
efforts succeeded in weakening his body.
  And then when Alexei Navalny recently died mysteriously in a Russian 
prison, Mr. Vladimir Kara-Murza became the most prominent imprisoned 
democracy advocate still alive in Russia. The target on his back has 
now grown bigger, so it is all the more important that Vladimir be 
freed.
  This week we reach the second anniversary of Mr. Kara-Murza's 
incarceration. This week, I am leading dozens and dozens of my 
congressional colleagues in another bipartisan, bicameral request to 
Secretary of State Antony Blinken. I encourage even more Members to 
sign on to this letter before we send it to the Secretary later this 
week.
  For 2 years, despite the danger, despite the imprisonment, Mr. Kara-
Murza has not been silenced. He refuses to be silenced. Every so often, 
from behind prison bars, he is able to tell the world his thoughts 
through newspaper columns, for example.
  The world has benefited from his words. No jail cell or word limit 
has been able to stifle Vladimir Kara-Murza's advocacy. He put it well 
recently. Last month, from prison colony No. 7 in Siberia, he wrote, 
``Sometimes the most powerful tool of all is simply telling the 
truth.''
  Telling the truth in Russia apparently gets you a 25-year sentence. 
It

[[Page S2657]]

takes courage to tell the truth in Russia. Let's stand with Mr. Kara-
Murza as he tells the truth.
  Many of us have worked with him. I consider him a friend. I admire 
him. He is certainly a friend of this body and of this free Republic. 
Let's stand with Kara-Murza now.
  We have come to know his wife and children who are U.S. citizens. 
Let's stand with them now as they work for his freedom.
  For the second year in a row, we call on Secretary of State Antony 
Blinken to designate Mr. Vladimir Kara-Murza as ``wrongfully 
detained.'' We call on Secretary Blinken to secure his release, reunite 
him with his family, keep his freedom-loving voice from being 
extinguished. Save his voice while we still can.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that following 
my remarks, Senator Stabenow be permitted to speak for 5 minutes prior 
to the scheduled vote.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.