Political Opponents Are Being Deprived of Citizenship in russia: Tens of Thousands – at Risk

russia has tightened legislation allowing for the revocation of acquired citizenship, another step in the systemic pressure on opponents of the regime.

On July 17, the state duma of the rf passed a law that increases from 64 to 81 the number of articles of the Criminal Code under which acquired citizenship can be revoked. The list includes serious crimes, as well as vague wording such as “crimes motivated by extremist motives” or “justification of terrorism and sabotage activities”.

The wording leaves room for arbitrary interpretation: the same sanctions can be applied to both,  people convicted of violent crimes and  to users who have posted an opposition post on social media.

There have already been dozens of cases of revoking the acquired citizenship, mostly among those convicted under “terrorist” and “extremist” articles.

Loss of citizenship in the rf means loss of almost all basic rights. Stateless persons do not have access to official employment, public healthcare, education, rental housing, driver’s licenses or other public services. This turns a person into a legally “invisible” person and effectively forces them out of the country.

Authorities of the rf claim that the new rules will not apply to residents of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine who have received russian passports. However, according to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, residents of the “new regions”,  even those who acquired citizenship by birth,  will be the next to be affected.