Russia's Anti-Government Activists Are Being Deported From the West Back to Russia

Over the past year, there has been a stark rise in the number of Russian anti-government activists being deported from EU member states and the United States — countries where many had fled following the onset of Russia's war against Ukraine and the resulting crackdown on dissent.

Human rights organizations and journalists who have tracked these cases report that activists who had applied for asylum or residency in Western countries are being returned to Russia, where many face potential imprisonment, persecution, or worse for their political activities.

The reasons for the increase are varied. Some activists were denied asylum and lost legal battles to remain in their adopted countries. Others were caught in bureaucratic processes that failed to adequately assess the risk they face upon return to Russia. In some cases, critics allege that pressure or diplomatic arrangements may have played a role.

Human Rights Watch and other organizations have called on Western governments to halt deportations of Russian political activists and to process their asylum claims with greater rigor. They argue that returning any Russian citizen who has publicly opposed Putin's government exposes that person to serious risk of harm.