Members of an all-party group of MPs and senators are calling on Canada to grant honorary citizenship to a British-Russian activist serving a politically-motivated prison sentence in Russia.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Speaking to reporters Thursday at a Parliament Hill press conference, former Canadian cabinet minister and chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre of Human Rights Irwin Cotler said granting citizenship to Vladimir Kara-Murza would serve both as protection and support for the jailed journalist and author.
“Conferring honorary citizenship on Vladimir Kara-Murza will be a recognition, an affirmation, of the fundamental and foundational values that Canada itself seeks to reflect, represent, affirm and advocate,” he said.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Kara-Murza, a protege and former advisor to slain Vladimir Putin critic Boris Nemtsov, is no stranger to being on the receiving end of harsh treatment for his views, having survived two attempts on his life by poisoning.
Cotler described Kara-Murza as the “Nelson Mandela” of Russia.
Recommended from Editorial
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, a member of the all-party group, said it’s important to support the work of dissidents of the Russian regime.
“Vladimir Kara-Murza, as an honorary Canadian citizen, will garner more support, more profile and more help from Canada in ensuring that the people of Russia have a government that can work for them,” she said.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
NDP MP Heather McPherson said granting citizenship will not only recognize Kara-Murza’s efforts to protect democracy, but also signal to Russia that Canada — and the rest of the free world — are watching.
“We can do something — even if it is honorary, even if it is a small step — to let the criminals in Russia, to let Vladimir Putin and his thugs know that we are watching,” she said.
“The world needs to be shown that we are paying attention and that attacks on Vladimir Kara-Murza are attacks on democracy.”
May said they intend to make this happen before the house rises for summer recess later this month.
Kara-Murza was instrumental in advocating the United States Congress to pass the Magnitsky Act, legislation that excluded and punished Russian officials responsible for the 2009 death of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in a Russian prison after his investigation into a $230-million tax fraud.
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Cotler said he was last in touch with Kara-Murza on Wednesday.
He reports Kara-Murza is in poor health, suffering from polyneuropathy — a nerve condition brought on by his previous poisonings.
“His being detained in prison is a form of torture, if not a slow-moving execution,” he said.
In addition to granting what they hope will be a lifesaving protective cover over Kara-Murza while in prison, the group also believes granting honorary citizenship will serve as a beacon of hope for other Russian dissidents, and the thousands of people summarily detained by Putin for their political beliefs.
To that end, Cotler said the group is pursuing two avenues to grant citizenship — either via unanimous consent in both the House of Commons and Senate, or through an order-in-council.
“Both of these routes have been pursued in the past, we are at this point exploring both,” he said.
“Our main purpose at this point is to advance this as quickly and as effectively as possible. Vladimir Kara-Murza’s life is on the line.”