Human rights activists outraged by the expulsion of a Belarusian citizen from Russia – Kommersant

Denis Khokhlov, a citizen of Belarus, who is wanted for participating in a rally in 2020, was expelled from Russia. Lawyer Roman Kiselev told Kommersant about this. According to the human rights organization “Civic Assistance” (included by the Ministry of Justice in the register of foreign agents), the investigation under Art. 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (“Organization and preparation of actions grossly violating public order, or active participation in them”) in relation to Denis Khokhlov began in 2023 – he was charged with participating in a protest march on August 24, 2020. On February 5, 2023, the activist crossed the Russian border, and in June he decided to leave for Georgia.

According to human rights activist Roman Kiselyov, on June 11, 2023, law enforcement agencies detained Denis Khokhlov in Kabardino-Balkaria. Belarus put him on the interstate wanted list, in connection with this, the Russian prosecutor’s office organized an extradition check. However, the lawyer explained, since the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation does not consider the act imputed to him in Belarus to be a crime, extradition was denied. However, already on June 13, an administrative protocol was drawn up against Denis Khokhlov on violation of the rules of stay on the territory of the Russian Federation. “On the same day, the court found him guilty and decided to deport him,” Mr. Kiselev told Kommersant. According to the court order, Denis Khokhlov was placed in a temporary detention center for foreign citizens in Nalchik. Denis Khokhlov tried to appeal against the expulsion decision, but the higher court rejected the appeal.

The human rights activist added that on July 5 the activist filed a petition to be recognized as a refugee. “He is being persecuted for exercising his right to assemble. Russia does not consider Khokhlov’s actions criminal, therefore, in fact, in the eyes of even Russian law, he is persecuted for the legitimate exercise of human rights. In addition, we have reason to believe that this expulsion is aimed at substituting extradition,” Roman Kiselev explained.

On Thursday, August 17, human rights activist Roman Kiselev told Kommersant that Mr. Khokhlov was urgently taken from Kabardino-Balkaria to Moscow. “This morning he was given a paper with a refusal and immediately put into the car, without giving him the opportunity to appeal this decision. The Federal Law “On Refugees” guarantees the right to appeal a refusal and allocates a month for this. In addition, it also requires that persons applying for refugee status should not return to a country where they may be in danger until a final decision has been made in their case,” the lawyer explained. Despite attempts by human rights activists to suspend the expulsion procedure, Denis Khokhlov was put on a plane to Minsk. At the moment, according to Mr. Kiselyov, he is in the TDF in the city of Krugloye.

Emilia Gabdullina