Russia strips rights of citizens abroad in sweeping new 'traitor' law

The Scope of the 'Traitor' Law

Russia's newly enacted legislation introduces a sweeping set of restrictions targeting its citizens residing abroad who are deemed to be evading criminal prosecution on political grounds. Under this law, affected individuals will face severe penalties within Russia, including the freezing of their bank accounts, the inability to sell property and vehicles, and the suspension of various licenses and accreditations. Furthermore, access to banking applications will be blocked, and crucial state and consular services will be denied. This includes the fundamental right to obtain an international passport and to have vital documents, such as wills and powers of attorney, officially certified. The law explicitly applies to those already sanctioned administratively for violations of Russia's 'foreign agents' law, for advocating sanctions against Russia, for calls to violate Russian territorial integrity, for discrediting the armed forces, or for involvement in organizations designated as undesirable by the state.

Escalation of Dissent Suppression

This legislation represents a significant escalation in Russia's sustained campaign to suppress dissent, a trend that predates the full-scale invasion of Ukraine but has dramatically intensified since February 2022. In the immediate aftermath of the invasion, the State Duma rapidly passed laws criminalizing the spread of "knowingly false information" about the armed forces, punishable by up to 15 years in prison, and making "discrediting" the army a criminal offense. These measures were accompanied by directives to media outlets to avoid terms like "war" or "invasion," leading to the closure of most independent Russian media. The 'foreign agents' law, initially passed in 2012, has also been repeatedly amended to target individuals, imposing wide-ranging restrictions on their public life, banking, and travel. By mid-2025, Russian authorities had blocked over 25,000 websites, reflecting the extensive efforts to control information and silence opposition.

'De Facto Loss of Citizenship' and Human Rights

Legal experts and human rights defenders, such as those from the First Department, an open community of Russian legal professionals, have critically assessed the cumulative impact of this new law. They argue that its provisions amount to a "de facto deprivation of citizenship," effectively rendering targeted individuals as "internally 'cancelled citizens'." This means that all ties to the Russian Federation—including property, accounts, businesses, and consular services—can be weaponized against them, while they are simultaneously stripped of any practical ability to utilize these assets or services in their own interests. Organizations like OVD-Info highlight that those most at risk include individuals on the foreign agents register, defendants in politically motivated cases, political activists, journalists, lawyers, and participants in organizations labeled as "extremist," "undesirable," or "terrorist." Between 2022 and September 2025, at least 692 people faced criminal prosecution under the "false information" and "discreditation" laws alone, with a total of 1,299 prosecuted for opposing the war, 373 of whom remain imprisoned.