Vladimir Kara-Murza Reflects on Prison Experience After U.S.-Russia Exchange

In a significant prisoner exchange between the United States and Russia in early August, Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin, regained his freedom after serving 25 years on treason charges. Kara-Murza, who spent two and a half years in various Russian prison colonies, endured 11 months in solitary confinement. In his first interview since his release, he shared his harrowing experiences with ABC News, emphasizing the psychological toll of prolonged isolation. Kara-Murza described solitary confinement as a form of torture, citing international law that deems such treatment inhumane. He recounted being cut off from communication with his family and denied basic freedoms, likening his experience to the film "Groundhog Day," where he felt trapped in a repetitive cycle within the confines of his small cell. He was permitted only brief, limited outdoor time, which he characterized as a mere "small so-called walk." Despite his release, Kara-Murza expressed concern for the hundreds of political prisoners still incarcerated in Russia for opposing Putin's regime, as well as the thousands of Ukrainian prisoners of war. He noted that August marks the 25th anniversary of Putin's rise to power, a period marked by increasing repression against dissenters. Kara-Murza, who remains committed to his country, highlighted the dangers faced by opposition figures, referencing the assassinations of Boris Nemtsov and the recent death of Alexei Navalny in prison.