Imprisoned human rights defender Vadim Kuramshin has been chosen as the 2013 winner of the Ludovic-Trarieux Prize for lawyers working in defence of human rights. The decision was made on 20 June 2013 by a jury of 29 European lawyers presided by lawyer Bertrand Favreau
Vadim Kuramshin is a well-known lawyer and prisoner’s rights defender who has worked to publicise the ill-treatment of prisoners in
On 7 December 2012, the human rights defender was sentenced to 12 years of ‘severe regime’ imprisonment after being found guilty of ‘extortion’ of the assistant of a district attorney. In addition to this sentence the court ordered the confiscation of his property. This trial has been widely reported as not conforming to international standards.
Vadim Kuramshin’s arrest on these charges took place shortly after he returned from an OSCE conference in September 2012 at which he had given a speech denouncing human rights abuses in
Front Line Defenders welcomes this latest recognition of Vadim Kuramshin’s vital work as a human rights defender and reiterate our belief that he has been targeted as a result of his peaceful and legitimate human rights activities. Previously Front Line Defenders has added its name to a joint appeal on the behalf of Vadim Kuramshin on 28 March 2013 as well as issuing a urgent appeal on his behalf on 16 November 2012 and updates on 12 December 2012 and 6 March 2013.
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