Russian Activist Kara-Murza Vanishes from Prison, Prompting Concerns

Russian opposition figure Vladimir Kara-Murza Jr., serving a 25-year sentence for treason, has reportedly disappeared from the Siberian prison where he was held, with a letter sent to him returned and a lawyer being told he wasn't there. His wife demands information on his whereabouts, expressing fear due to previous attempts on his life. Transfers within Russia's prison system are secretive, and this disappearance echoes concerns raised during Alexei Navalny's absence before he resurfaced in a prison colony above the Arctic Circle. Kara-Murza's arrest and sentencing are seen as part of a broader crackdown on opposition and criticism under President Vladimir Putin, particularly following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.