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Putin signs law imposing sweeping restrictions on Russians convicted in absentia
The Kyiv Independent • • world
Key Points:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law imposing extensive financial, digital, and consular restrictions on Russian citizens living abroad who have been convicted in absentia, particularly targeting Kremlin critics.
- The law applies to those evading court-ordered sentences for convictions under various criminal and administrative offenses, including laws against "foreign agents," "undesirable" organizations, and "discrediting" the military.
- A government registry will blacklist affected individuals, freezing their Russian bank accounts and assets, barring access to online banking and government services, and restricting real estate and vehicle transactions.
- The law also limits consular services abroad, preventing issuance of passports and most official documents to blacklisted individuals, though embassies may still confirm their existence.
- Human rights experts warn the restrictions effectively amount to a de facto deprivation of citizenship, as the state maintains control but denies many rights typically linked to citizenship.
