A Conversation with Evgenia Kara-Murza, Vladimir Kara-Murza, and Tikhon Dzyadko | 10/16/2024

Madeine Shaw, Victor Lago. Sophia Sahni, Arian Chimenson, and Pranav Akella sit down for a conversation with Evgenia Kara-Murza, Vladimir Kara-Murza, and Tikhon Dzyadko.

Bios: 

Vladimir Kara-Murza, a Russian politician, author, and historian who was imprisoned from 2022 to 2024 for speaking out against the war in Ukraine. He’s a recipient of the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for commentary and a longtime advocate for democracy in Russia. A close colleague of the late opposition leader Boris Nemtsov, Vladimir played a pivotal role in the adoption of the Magnitsky sanctions against Russian human rights violators. Despite surviving two assassination attempts through poisoning, he continues to be a relentless voice for freedom. Beyond his political work, he’s also an accomplished filmmaker, having directed three documentaries. Vladimir has led international efforts to honor Nemtsov, including street designations and his recent film, ‘Nemtsov’. He is the founding chairman of the Nemtsov Foundation and served as vice president at Open Russia and the Free Russia Foundation—two organizations that were later labeled "undesirable" by the Russian government. 

Evgenia Kara-Murza. As Advocacy Director of the Free Russia Foundation, Evgenia plays a critical role in advancing public diplomacy and global outreach for Russian civil society. Following the politically-motivated imprisonment of her husband, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Evgenia has worked to hold Russian officials accountable for violating international commitments to human rights, democracy, corruption, and rule of law. As part of the Free Russia Foundation, she’s a powerful voice in the global campaign supporting Russian anti-war and pro-democracy activists, both inside and outside the country.

Tikhon Dzyadko, editor-in-chief of TV Dozhd, which was formerly the only independent TV station in Russia. In March 2022, Russian authorities blocked access to TV Rain in response to its coverage of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Under Tikhon’s leadership, TV Rain relaunched from Latvia and later continued broadcasting from the Netherlands after securing a Dutch license in 2023. Despite ongoing pressures from the Kremlin, TV Rain remains a crucial platform for independent journalism, airing through YouTube to reach audiences both inside and outside Russia. Tikhon is a former deputy editor-in-chief and host of the RTVI channel and a former correspondent and presenter of the radio station Ekho Moskvy.