Britain’s Foreign Minister, David Cameron, delivered a scathing rebuke on Monday, denouncing the outcome of the Russian elections as a manifestation of deep repression under President Vladimir Putin’s regime.
Despite the Kremlin’s praise of Putin’s landslide re-election for a fifth term as a testament to popular support, Cameron dismissed the results as undemocratic, citing the suppression of political opposition and media control under Putin’s rule.
In a statement, Cameron emphasized the stark reality of repression in Russia, characterized by the silencing of dissent and the elimination of political opponents. He condemned Putin’s authoritarian tactics, which he described as removing political opponents, controlling the media, and manipulating election outcomes to maintain power.
Cameron highlighted the death of Alexei Navalny, Putin’s main political rival, just weeks before the election, as a tragic reminder of the extent of political repression in Russia. He called for the immediate release of all political prisoners, including British-Russian dual-national Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Kara-Murza, a prominent opposition politician, was sentenced to 25 years in jail last April on charges of treason for criticizing Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Cameron emphasized the urgency of Kara-Murza’s release, citing his deteriorating health due to alleged poisoning attempts orchestrated by Russia’s FSB security service.