Russian court of appeals upholds sentence on Kara-Murza, earlier sentenced to 25 years in penal colony for high treason, fakes about army

MOSCOW. July 31 (Interfax) - The First Court of Appeals of General Jurisdiction has upheld the sentence handed down to opposition activist and journalist Vladimir Kara-Murza, recognized as a foreign agent in Russia, who was sentenced to 25 years in a penal colony for high treason, cooperating with an unwelcome organization and disseminating fakes about the actions of the Russian Armed Forces, an Interfax correspondent has reported.

"The Moscow City Court's sentence of April 17, 2023 is upheld," the court said in its decision.

The court thus declined the appeals filed by Kara-Murza and his defense lawyers against the sentence, which has taken legal effect and is subject to enforcement.

The hearing and the legal proceedings on the Kara-Murza case were held in the court of appeals behind closed doors, as the criminal case materials are classified. The court only read the final part of the decision.

The defense lawyers said they considered the sentence handed down to Kara-Murza illegal and insisted on his acquittal.

The state prosecutors had asked for the sentence to be upheld.