VOC Human Rights Awardee and 15 Other Political Prisoners Freed From Russia

The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC) is jubilant at the release of Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza and 15 other political prisoners from Vladimir Putin’s modern-day gulag.  
 
A pro-democracy activist, historian, journalist, and television host, Vladimir Kara-Murza advocated for the human rights of all Russians, no matter the cost. It was this dedication to liberty that made him a target of the Kremlin and ultimately placed him behind bars for the crime of standing up to Vladimir Putin. VOC was honored to award Kara-Murza the 2023 Dissident Human Rights Award for his lifelong commitment to truth and his unwavering courage in the face of authoritarianism.  

Vladimir Kara-Murza joins 15 others freed from Russia in the largest prisoner exchange since the Cold War. These heroes include Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, five Germans, and seven Russian citizens.  
 
VOC is elated that these now former political prisoners will soon be home with their families. The authoritarian practice of imprisoning truth-tellers and political rivals has no place in the modern world.