About 116,000 people have been subjected to direct political repression in Russia over the past six years, according to a recent study by the investigative outlet Proekt — the highest number since under Stalin's rule.

For this episode, we analyzed the study’s results with Sergei Davidis, head of the Political Prisoners Support Program and a member of the board at the Memorial human rights group. Pavel Butorin, the director of the Current Time media outlet, then joins us to discuss the case of his wife, journalist Alsu Kurmasheva, who was jailed last year on charges seen as politically motivated.