Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza jailed for 25 years for treason

The punishment for "discrediting" the army under the censorship regulations that were put in place after Russia invaded Ukraine is presently up to five years in prison.

Vladimir Kara-Murza, 41, a former journalist who holds Russian and British passports, spent years as a politician opposing the Russian president was accused of treason and of discrediting the military by prosecutors after he criticised the country's invasion of Ukraine.

Kara-Murza, who has stood by his words throughout the trial, has criticised his prosecution. It is various news reports, Kara-Murza claims to have twice been poisoned by Russian operatives and has previously compared his trial to one of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin's show trials in the 1930s.

He declined to ask the court to acquit him and said, "Criminals are supposed to repent of what they have done. I, on the other hand, am in prison for my political views."

"I also know that the day will come when the darkness over our country will dissipate," he said during his trial.

Kara-Murza’s 25-year sentence, which matches the sentence requested by prosecutors, is the harshest of its kind since Russia invaded Ukraine.

The punishment for "discrediting" the army under the censorship regulations that were put in place after Russia invaded Ukraine is presently up to five years in prison.