Irish Daily Mirror

Only Russians can end reign of Putin, says jailed dissident

- BY Defence and Security Editor VLADIMIR KARA-MURZA FROM SIBERIAN JAIL CELL

CALL British-russian rebel Kara-murza

CHRIS HUGHES

A BRITISH citizen jailed in Siberia has called on Russians to put an end to Vladimir Putin’s reign of terror.

Vladimir Kara-murza, 42, is serving 25 years in a penal colony for “treason” and criticisin­g the tyrant’s war against Ukraine.

He believes Putin is responsibl­e for rival Alexei Navalny’s death in an Arctic hellhole jail last week.

Opposition figure Kara-murza said: “He must be stopped. Only Russian society itself can do this.”

Like Navalny, Kara-murza was the victim of poisoning by Putin’s secret services.

Bravely, he said from his cell: “Vladimir Putin personally bears responsibi­lity for the death of Alexei Navalny.

“Alexei was his personal prisoner. And only on his personal orders could the poisoners from the 2nd FSB service act.” The same applied to “prosecutor­s and judges who processed cases and sentences” as well as “prison officials who created torture conditions”.

MPS and friends of Kara-murza, who also holds Russian citizenshi­p, are working to see him swapped in a prisoner exchange, and allowed to travel to Britain.

That campaign is being led by Uk-based human rights activist Bill Browder.

Referring to a series of apartment bombings which were blamed on Chechens and used as a pretext for war, Kara-murza added: “This man [Putin] has brought death with him throughout the 25 years of his power – since that very autumn, when peaceful people sleeping in their apartments were blown up at night.”

He warned: “The best are dying – the bravest, the most sincere, the most caring.

“Everyone returns – except those who are most needed.”

Putin has brought death for his 25 years in power

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