Response to interpellation 2022/23:1 on Magnitsky sanctions against those responsible for the imprisonment of Kara-Murza
Translated from Swedish by AI; the translation may contain errors. The Swedish text is the original.
Summary AI, written in advance
The debate concerns the Russian authorities' treatment of opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza and whether Sweden should push for Magnitsky sanctions against those responsible 1 2. M argues that the government is deeply concerned about the authorities' actions and that Sweden continues to be a driving force in the EU to ensure that human rights and democracy remain given components in the policy towards Russia 1 3 4 5. M currently rules out no measures within existing sanction regimes 1. C argues that Sweden should take the initiative to gather like-minded countries to introduce Magnitsky sanctions against those responsible for Kara-Murza's imprisonment and demand his immediate release 2 6 7.
Written by AI in advance and may contain errors. The numbers lead to the speech a statement builds on; check against the text below.
Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)
Mr. Speaker! Kerstin Lundgren has asked whether I, in light of the Russian authorities' accusations of treason against the opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza and his deprivation of liberty in April 2022, am prepared to push for the EU to introduce Magnitsky sanctions as soon as possible against those responsible for the proceedings against Kara-Murza, and whether I am prepared to, together with the governments of like-minded countries, push for the EU to demand Kara-Murza's immediate release.
The Government is deeply concerned about the Russian authorities' actions towards Kara-Murza. He has shown great personal courage in his criticism of Putin's regime and the violations of human rights committed against the own population in Russia, which also on October 10 led to his awarding of the Václav Havel Prize for Human Rights from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Deployed Swedish diplomatic personnel in Moscow are closely following the legal proceedings against Kara-Murza and were also present at the detention hearing held in Moscow's city court on October 24, when Kara-Murza's appeal regarding the extension of his detention period was rejected.
On 7 December 2020, the EU's Council for Foreign Affairs adopted a Council decision and a regulation establishing a global sanctions regime against serious violations of and crimes against human rights. At the beginning of March 2021, the first four listings were decided, and later that same month it was decided to add a further 15 names to the list. A total of 22 persons and entities are now listed under the sanctions regime. All of these listings shall now undergo a review before 8 December. Sweden is actively engaged in discussions on the application of the sanctions regime and considers that this should be used as an effective, legally secure, and credible tool for the EU's common policy to protect human rights.
We continue to follow the developments in Russia and the process against Kara-Murza and currently exclude no measures within existing sanctions regimes. Sweden is and will continue to be a driver in the EU to ensure that human rights, democracy, and the principles of the rule of law remain given components in the EU's policy towards Russia.
Sweden will also continue to regularly raise violations of and abuses of human rights in international forums such as the UN Human Rights Council, the UN General Assembly, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE. At the OSCE chairmanship conference held in Warsaw on 26 September-7 October, Sweden clearly condemned Russian authorities' violations of human rights both in Russia and in Ukraine. The conference gathered 1,500 participants in the form of civil society representatives, government representatives, and independent experts and replaced the Human Dimension Implementation Meeting, HDIM, which has not been able to be held for the last two years due to Russian blocking.
Kerstin Lundgren (C)
Mr. Speaker! Thank you for the answer, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and welcome to the chamber for the first interpellation debate during this parliamentary term! It is naturally important to then highlight human rights and those who stand up for freedom and democracy in many countries, also the Russian people in Russia who today are so strongly oppressed.
A person whom many have met here in Sweden, Vladimir Kara-Murza, is a brave, outspoken Russian citizen who, unlike many others, has chosen not to leave the country. Despite the risks, he has chosen to stay to show that he stands up for his opinion against oppression when oppression attacks.
Kara-Murza has experienced oppression before. He was one of the closest associates of the murdered opposition leader Boris Nemtsov and has survived poisonings twice during his time in Moscow, both in 2015 and 2017. Now there are clear reports stating that the FSB was responsible for the poisoning attacks. We know all too well that this is not the first time this has happened in Russia or Europe.
Kara-Murza was arrested once again, in April, as the Foreign Minister also noted. In the usual manner, a political judicial process has taken place where one accusation has been added to the other, most recently for treason.
He is also accused of having collaborated with NATO countries. We know that he has been in several of our European countries. He is also active and I believe even a citizen of the United Kingdom. It is not strange that he has such a connection. But the Kremlin has chosen to attack him so clearly as one of the brave, outspoken oppositionists who have dared to criticize the war in Ukraine and call it what it is, a war.
Therefore, it is important that Sweden's voice can now be clear, and I hear the Foreign Minister say that no measures are excluded. But it would be very welcome if the Foreign Minister could take the initiative and leadership to gather like-minded people and work to obtain Magnitsky sanctions against the 13 people who are on a list as responsible for Kara-Murza's arrest, court proceedings and so on, because here the justice system does not function. He is a typical political prisoner of conscience, and we must be prepared to stand up for political prisoners of conscience and advocate for them. Sweden should be a voice for their sake.
Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)
Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Kerstin Lundgren, for the kind words and also for an interpellation on a subject as serious as this! I have myself met Vladimir Kara-Murza in several contexts, both here in the Riksdag and naturally also in Strasbourg at sessions with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, where the interpellator Kerstin Lundgren herself has served.
From the government's side, we are following the domestic political situation in Russia very closely. Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, the Russian regime has rapidly moved in an increasingly authoritarian direction that is reflected in several different ways. With an already extremely limited democratic space, no room is now offered in practice for any channeled political opposition at all.
Civil society is under enormous pressure, not least after the adoption of a number of laws in March that made it a criminal offense to spread what was then called fake news about the Russian army both within the country's borders and outside them. Russian authorities have also blocked the broadcasts from the few independent TV and radio stations that remain in the country and have additionally deported journalists who work and report for the foreign press.
Kara-Murza belongs to that group of brave Russians who still dare to make their voices heard in protest against the countless crimes and abuses that Russian authorities subject their own citizens to, as well as the war crimes that are incessantly committed in Ukraine.
With the Václav Havel Prize, he also joins the illustrious group who, within the span of just a few months, have received a well-deserved international recognition for their work and moral stance in Russia. Among them is, in particular, the organization Memorial, which is one of this year's recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize.
It is important that Sweden and the EU continue to follow the developments in Russia and the process against Kara-Murza as well as the process against other opposition members. Sweden will, as stated, continue to be a driving force in the European Union so that human rights, democracy, and the principles of the rule of law remain given components in the EU's policy towards Russia. And the global sanctions regime against serious violations of and crimes against human rights is a tool in this work.
Kerstin Lundgren (C)
Mr. Speaker! Thank you, Minister for Foreign Affairs, for the comments! We are in complete agreement on what the situation is in Russia. For civil society, no freedom exists. For individual Russian citizens, no freedom exists. This is, of course, completely devastating for Russia's development in the long run.
Just as the Foreign Minister says, Kara-Murza is one of a group of brave Russians who dare to make their voices heard. But, Foreign Minister, would it not be very good if Sweden, just like Kara-Murza and other brave Russians, were prepared to make its voice heard for precisely Magnitsky sanctions so that impunity shall not prevail for those who use the system to oppress and to imprison free speech? Would it not be reasonable that Sweden is prepared to stand up for and demand the immediate release of Kara-Murza? I am convinced that a number of other countries would also be prepared to do so. It is about introducing Magnitsky sanctions against those responsible for such a process.
I do not think the Foreign Minister believes that the Kremlin listens to statements that we are following the developments. It does not affect and does not change anything. More is required. Therefore, it is important that the Foreign Minister is prepared to do what I have heard that Canada's Foreign Minister has been prepared to do: go for Magnitsky sanctions. I know that it is being discussed in the UK and in the USA. Let us also, with a Swedish voice, bring that discussion up in the EU.
Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)
Mr. Speaker! I mentioned earlier that civil society in Russia is being suppressed in a multitude of different ways. Investigations indicate that over 19,000 people have been arrested for protesting against Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Hundreds of thousands of young Russians saw no other way to show their dissatisfaction than to leave the country on foot out of fear of being mobilized into the army.
Sweden continues to contribute to promoting democratic development in Russia with strengthened freedom of expression as well as increased respect for human rights and the principles of the rule of law, even under these very difficult circumstances prevailing. In order to signal to Russian civil society as well as towards Russian authorities the importance that Sweden attaches to these issues, staff are present at our embassy in Moscow and the consulate general in Saint Petersburg who, as mentioned, also regularly attend various trials against democracy and human rights defenders, for example Aleksej Navalnyj and, naturally, the Russian historian Jurij Dmitrijev.
Sweden will also, as stated, continue to systematically raise violations of and abuses of human rights in international forums, such as the UN Human Rights Council, the UN General Assembly, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
Kerstin Lundgren (C)
Mr. Speaker! It is good to follow, and it is good to try to support. But there are those who still hope that there will be voices that are prepared not just to do as usual but also to actually ensure that the possibility of sanctions is utilized. In these cases, they clearly attack free speech, freedom of expression, and the opposition—those who dare to say their opinion. If we do not stand up when they are imprisoned, if we only follow and if we are not prepared to take the lead to introduce sanctions, those others in Russian society will notice that no one cares. One just talks and does as usual.
That is why it is important to make a stand on the issue and try to find alliances - with the Baltic states, the United Kingdom and Canada. It is about working with a number of them to then, as the minister can do, raise it in the EU and work for Magnitsky sanctions. It is about highlighting that issue. It would be heard in Moscow, and it would be heard by Kara-Murza and by others who hope for a new future for the Russian people in freedom.
Utrikesministern Tobias Billström (M)
Mr. Speaker! First and foremost, I would like to thank Kerstin Lundgren very much for an important and urgent interpellation. As has emerged from the debate, this is a subject that we are very united on. It is extremely important that people who dare to stand up even in these very dark and evil times in Russia receive all the support and help that they need from us who inhabit the democratic world.
No political government or society has the right to deny its citizens the right to speak and think freely. Vladimir Kara-Murza is one of the brave voices in Russia who want to protest against the state of affairs in the country and who have paid a very high price for this. That is why Kerstin Lundgren and I are in complete agreement.
I and the government that I am part of will always defend democratic principles in dialogue with Russian representatives and stand for a common EU policy where human rights influence how we relate to Russia.
Source: The Swedish Parliament. The speeches come from the open data of the Riksdag, translated into English by AI, which may contain errors.