Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov urges Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to press Putin to release Russian political prisoners

Source: CNN

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov, the former editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, spoke about Russia’s political prisoners in an interview with CNN.

On air, Muratov showed the host and viewers photographs of theater director Zhenya Berkovich, former municipal deputy Alexei Gorinov, pediatrician Nadezhda Buyanova, and Samara saxophonist Andrei Shabanov. He also showed a photo of pianist Pavel Kushnir, who died in custody.

Muratov said that, according to Berkovich’s lawyers, she now weighs about 40 kilograms. She was sent to a punishment cell for the second time during her imprisonment on a trumped-up pretext: she supposedly wore her headscarf incorrectly, didn’t make her bed, and didn’t put her hands behind her back quickly enough when a prison officer ordered her to.

He also spoke about Alexandra Strilets, whose daughter died while Strilets was in prison on treason charges.

Muratov called on American politicians to push for the release of Russian political prisoners and on journalists to report on them. In particular, he urged Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys in negotiations with Russia, to raise the issue of political prisoners in their meetings with Vladimir Putin.

Mr. Witkoff has already been to Moscow eight times or more. And God willing, he’ll keep coming. But here’s my question. When he leaves, his plane flies back empty. Why can’t he ask Mr. Putin, whom he has a good relationship with, to release a few political prisoners so they can fly out with him?

A full transcript of Muratov’s interview is available on the Ekho website.

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Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov urges Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to press Putin to release Russian political prisoners

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Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov urges Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to press Putin to release Russian political prisoners

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