russia Has Increased Repression Against Its Citizens Abroad Eightfold

Since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, russia has significantly expanded its persecution of its citizens abroad. According to UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the rf Mariana Katzarova, the number of documented cases of transnational repression has increased eightfold over the past three years.

This is stated in the report “Nowhere Is Safe: Exporting the Rule of Fear Beyond Borders – Transnational Repression by the russian federation”.

The document covers nearly 400 cases of russia’s persecution of citizens living abroad and other individuals whom the kremlin considers its opponents.

Before the start of the full-scale war, an average of 29 such cases were recorded annually over an eight-year period. After 2022, the average rose to 89.

According to Katsarova’s assessment, russia has created a state-sponsored system of surveillance, intimidation, and punishment targeting critics of the regime who have left the country. The pressure also extends to their relatives who remain in russia. “Leaving russia does not mean leaving russian repression behind,” noted the UN Special Rapporteur.

Among the methods of persecution, she cited assassinations, attempted killings, assaults and poisonings. At least nine departments of the fsb, as well as military and foreign intelligence services, prosecutors, and federal ministries, are involved in such operations.

moscow also uses international mechanisms to locate and detain people abroad. In particular, russia actively submits so-called red notices to Interpol. At the same time, about half of such requests submitted in 2024 were rejected by the Organization’s headquarters.

Another tool is russia’s cooperation with its closest partners, through which moscow attempts to persecute people abroad whom it considers disloyal to the regime.