Russia enacts measures described as 'civil death' for émigrés convicted in absentia

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on 4 August 2026 that introduces temporary restrictive measures aimed at Russian citizens living abroad who have been convicted in absentia and are considered by authorities to be "evading the execution of a sentence." The text enters into force immediately upon its publication in the official gazette.

The new rules apply to people outside Russia convicted under any article of the Criminal Code as well as to those subject to final administrative rulings based on politically sensitive provisions, including "discrediting" the armed forces, violating the rules on "foreign agent" status, participating in "undesirable organizations," calling for sanctions against Russia, or disputing its territorial integrity.

Registry and sanctions

The Ministry of Justice will maintain a special register of such individuals, and the Prosecutor General or a deputy may place names on it. Once entered, affected persons face a package of measures: freezing of bank accounts in Russia, blocking of online banking and transfers, bans on selling or transferring property and vehicles, restrictions on use of the state portal for services and electronic signatures, and denial of most consular services abroad, including issuance or renewal of international passports. The sole exception is the issuance of a certificate confirming that the person is alive.

Additional prohibitions include a ban on registering as an entrepreneur or self-employed person, obtaining loans, using state benefits, and authorizing others to act on their behalf. Human-rights lawyers from the organization First Department warned that the combined effect of the measures amounts to "a de facto deprivation of citizenship" or "civil death," because the state continues to demand legal compliance while stripping away practical rights tied to Russian citizenship.

The law appears while hundreds of thousands of Russians remain abroad after the start of the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Conservative estimates put the number still living overseas at about 650,000, while broader estimates range from 800,000 to more than one million. The largest exodus followed President Putin's decision on 21 September 2022 to impose a partial mobilization; between 300,000 and 400,000 military‑age men are estimated to have left the country then to avoid conscription.

Observers note the timing of the measures against a backdrop of personnel shortages at the front. Russian sources and Ukrainian officials say Kremlin discussions have included a possible new wave of mobilization after the State Duma elections in September 2026, perhaps as soon as October, which could target between 100,000 and 500,000 people — though no final decision has been announced. Critics say the law strengthens Moscow's reach over the diaspora and increases pressure on dissidents and exiles.

Photo: press material from the event