Russian activists stripped of IDs face new hurdles abroad

Opponents of Russia's war with Ukraine, persecuted by Russian authorities, suddenly lost their valid IDs. Human rights defenders fear reprisals. DW spoke with those affected.

Russian activists who condemn Russia's war against Ukraine report that the authorities have canceled their IDs. IDs are essential in Russia, and a Russian citizen abroad must have a passport to cross borders. This does not apply to borders between countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). After the war in Ukraine began and subsequent mobilization in Russia, many Russians fled to these countries with only their IDs. According to estimates by the Russian portal "The Bell," about 110,000 Russians found refuge in Armenia alone.

Daniel Chebykin and Richard King, co-founders of the Omsk Civic Association, were the first to report the invalidation of their IDs. The Omsk Civic Association highlights issues in their city, protests against the war in Ukraine, and fights corruption. Russian authorities classify this opposition organization as "extremist."

Both activists left Russia after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. Over time, they lost access to Russian banking apps and SIM cards. Later, they learned through the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs website that the authorities deemed their IDs invalid. This is not an isolated case.

In an interview with DW, Chebykin and King claimed that without valid IDs, they cannot issue authorization for their lawyer. The lawyer represents their interests in a Russian court, where the activists are trying to contest the designation of the Omsk Civic Association as "extremist" and a "foreign agent" by Russian authorities. Chebykin adds that he currently has neither a valid ID nor a passport.

Problems with their passports arose after they contacted the Russian embassy in Armenia to apply for a passport. Chebykin was informed that his ID had been "replaced with a new one." An embassy worker explained to the activist that he would have to "resolve the issue in his country," i.e., Russia.

Activist Olesya Krivtsova from Arkhangelsk also wanted to apply for a passport, but it turned out that her ID was also deemed invalid. In Russia, she is on the list of "terrorists and extremists," accused of "discrediting the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation" and "justifying terrorism." The young woman was arrested in 2023 but managed to escape from house arrest and fled to Norway, where she currently works as a journalist.

Krivtsova told DW that she learned about the invalidation of her ID by accident. She wanted to check the document's status after reading about the issue faced by her colleagues from Omsk. She explained how, four months ago, everything was fine. Then she went to the Russian consulate, and an employee scanned her ID. The activist suspected the invalidation might be due to her unusual signature on the document. When she got it, she didn't sign it but wrote the word 'freedom' and drew a peace symbol under the document, she explains. However, her lawyers argued this cannot be the reason for the invalidation. To find out the cause, a lawsuit would need to be filed in Russia against the invalidation of the ID.

According to Maksym Olenichev, a Russian Human Rights Project First Department lawyer, Russian authorities cite formal reasons for invalidating IDs, such as "false information in the document." The community of lawyers and journalists defends citizens unjustly accused of crimes against the state in Russia.

Olenichev points out that without a valid Russian ID, conducting any transactions in Russia, including bank transfers or property sales, is impossible. Russian citizens also cannot obtain a passport, which is required for traveling and staying in other countries.

Boris Bondarev, a former advisor to the Russian mission to the UN in Geneva who opposes the war in Ukraine, believes that the invalidation of Russian IDs has not yet become systematic. However, he notes that regional authorities mainly use this method of repression. The former diplomat does not rule out that it will be extended to more opposition activists.