This rock band criticised Putin’s war in Ukraine. Now they face deportation to Russia

Key PointsThe rock band Bi-2 has been heavily critical of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.The band members were detained in Phuket after a concert for not having proper working papers.Human Rights groups have expressed concerns regarding the band’s potential deportation to Russia.

Members of a rock band that has been critical of Moscow’s war in Ukraine remain locked up in a Thai immigration jail, fearful they could be deported to Russia as a reported plan to let them fly to safety in Israel was apparently suspended.

The progressive rock band Bi-2 said on Facebook it had information that intervention from Russian diplomats caused the plan to be stopped, even though tickets had already been bought for their flight.

“The group participants remain detained at the immigration centre in a shared cell with 80 people,” the post said. It said they declined to meet with the Russian consul. The Russian press agency RIA Novosti said the refusal was confirmed by Ilya Ilyin, head of the Russian Embassy’s consular section.

The detained musicians “include Russian citizens as well as dual nationals of Russia and other countries, including Israel and Australia,” Human Rights Watch said in a statement Tuesday. Those holding only Russian citizenship are thought to be most at risk.

Human Rights Watch calling for the group’s release

“The Thai authorities should immediately release the detained members of Bi-2 and allow them to go on their way,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

“Under no circumstances should they be deported to Russia, where they could face arrest or worse for their outspoken criticisms of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s war in Ukraine.”

“It is not known if the Russian authorities have sought the band members’ forcible return to Russia,” Human Rights Watch said.

“However, amid repression in Russia reaching new heights, Russian authorities have used transnational repression – abuses committed against nationals beyond a government’s jurisdiction – to target activists and government critics abroad with violence and other unlawful actions.”

The group later said on the Telegram messaging app that its singer, Yegor Bortnik, whose stage name is Lyova, boarded a flight for Israel late on Tuesday, but the other members remained in the jail.

Band targeted ahead of Russian presidential election, says opposition politician

The seven band members were arrested last Thursday after playing a concert on the southern resort island of Phuket, reportedly for not having proper working papers.

On Facebook, they said all their concerts “are held in accordance with local laws and practices”. Phuket is a popular destination for Russian expats and tourists. After paying a fine, the band members were sent to the Immigration Detention Centre in Bangkok.

A detention centre of the Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau where members of the Russian Bi-2 band are reportedly being held. Source: SIPA USA / TASS

Self-exiled Russian opposition politician and a friend of Bi-2, Dmitry Gudkov, told the Associated Press that he had been in touch with lawyers and diplomats in an attempt to secure the band’s release and suggested that pressure to detain and deport them came directly from the Kremlin and the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Russia, Gudkov said, needs an “evocative story to show that they will catch any critic abroad. This is all happening in the run-up to (Russia’s presidential election), and it’s clear that they want to shut everyone up, and that’s why there’s intense pressure going on.”

Russia’s ambassador to Thailand Yevgeny Tomikhin said Russian diplomats were not responsible for the group’s detention.

“It’s not our practice to dictate to anyone. Americans can do this. We don’t behave like that and don’t make such requests,” Tomikhin was quoted as telling the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Russian MP: ‘Soon they’ll be dancing for their cellmates’

There have been no public statements from Thai officials on the situation.

Bi-2 has 1.01 million subscribers to its YouTube channel and 376,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.

Andrei Lugovoi, a member of the lower house of Russia’s parliament, called the band members “scum” for their criticism of Russia’s military operations in Ukraine.

“Let the guys get ready: soon they will be playing and singing on spoons and on metal plates, tap dancing in front of their cellmates,” Lugovoi said on Telegram. “Personally, I would be very happy to see this.”

Britain has accused Lugovoi of involvement in the death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, who died in London in 2006 after being poisoned with tea laced with radioactive polonium-210.

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