Mass raids against migrants began across Russia

Mass raids against migrants began across Russia. Most of those arrested are immigrants from Afghanistan, but they also include people from Congo, Ethiopia, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. It is noted that this is related to the recent statement of Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Russian Investigative Committee.

According to the "Memorial" human rights project, mass raids against migrants have begun across Russia. It is noted that police officers will catch migrants at specific points in the subway or at their place of residence using Sphere facial recognition software. Most of those arrested are immigrants from Afghanistan, but they also include people from Congo, Ethiopia, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.

Human rights activists say that hundreds of migrants have been detained in St. Petersburg, Obninsk, Kazan, Voronezh, Rostov-on-Don, Tver and Saratov regions.

Svetlana Gannushkina, head of the "Migration and Law" program of the "Memorial" center, believes that the raids against immigrants are connected with the recent statement of the head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Alexander Bastrykin.

Bastrykin said on June 4 that it was "important to continue the increased control over the flow of migrants" and ordered the continuation of special raids.

The Investigative Committee justified these actions with the increase in the number of crimes committed by illegal persons on the territory of the Russian Federation.

"However, none of the people who contacted Migration and Rights arrested by the Moscow police in the last two days raped or killed anyone. Their only crime (not a significant one) is violating the migration register.

In particular, complaining about non-registration or refusal to receive asylum, and the main reason for this administrative offense, is that registration is not actually a notification, but a permit. That is why it is very difficult for our applicants to formalize it, - says Gannushkina.

Earlier, acting Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Kolokoltsev, said that migrants commit only 4% of total crimes in Russia. This contradicts the words of Alexander Bastrykin, chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, who accused foreigners of a disproportionate number of crimes.