Persecution and torture of Central Asian migrants escalate in Russia

In Russia, reports of escalating persecution against Central Asian migrants are growing concerning. Police and National Guard officers have been detaining foreigners, with some allegedly subjected to torture, according to a Russian lawyer. Information from the Russian press indicates that four individuals suspected of orchestrating an attack on a concert hall near Moscow are nationals of Tajikistan.

Valentina Chupik, a lawyer who specializes in providing free legal assistance to migrants, told the Mediazona portal that she received over 2,500 phone calls from foreigners in Russia in just two days following the attack on Crocus City Hall. Many of these calls reported unjust detentions.

Migrants have been detained by Russian police and National Guard (Rosgvardiya) officers and then interrogated by the FSB. According to Chupik, officers have also made unauthorised entries into hotels and other residences where Central Asian immigrants typically stay, with at least 30 individuals reporting that they were tortured during these detentions.

Chupik highlighted the inhumane conditions immigrants face while detained; they are often kept outside in adverse weather conditions, without access to a toilet, and without food for 24 hours, only allowed to drink tap water from a toilet faucet once a day. These detentions have been reported not only in Moscow but also in Yekaterinburg and Petersburg, primarily affecting citizens of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Russian migration services have intensified their scrutiny of foreigners' residence permits, with a significant number of permits being cancelled for those registered at addresses housing more than ten people. The Foreign Affairs Ministries of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have issued official statements urging their citizens to avoid traveling to Russia.

Source: PAP