June 8, 2026 Russian human rights defenders demand international protection for Russians in Southeast Asia

According to the Association of Russian Lawyers for Human Rights, Southeast Asian countries have become some of the most dangerous for Russian relocates and tourists: Russian citizens are being killed, sold, and deported in the complete absence of international protection.
In fact, the Association emphasized, a crime against humanity is being committed in the region: Russian relocates and tourists in Southeast Asia have become victims of political violence and criminal gangs. The problem is widespread, with regular reports of missing or dead Russians reported from open sources. Two to three such reports are published per day. Given these statistics, the actual number of victims is typically higher, and not all cases reach the media.
Human rights activists note that the scheme for recruiting Russians into criminal gangs is standard in third-world countries: Russians are kidnapped, hooked on drugs, have their documents confiscated, are transported to third countries, sold into slavery, ransom is demanded from relatives, Russians are sold into sexual slavery, forced into prostitution, children are kidnapped, and imprisoned.
According to human rights activists, many Russians are found unconscious on the streets and in hospitals, and many end up in psychiatric wards, typically victims of clonidine, hypnosis, and robbery. Moreover, human rights activists point out, many people have been killed, and many are officially listed as missing.
Commentary by Maria Arkhipova, Chair of the Association of Russian Lawyers for Human Rights:
- Against the backdrop of heightened Russophobia, Russians who have already resettled in these countries have been restricted from staying. Many are left without documents: some have had them stolen, others have run out. Unable to return to Russia, they live illegally. Many opposition figures lose their documents because they expired, are unable to renew them, and are also unable to return to Russia due to criminal cases or fear of reprisals. For example, if someone supported Ukraine or donated to organizations banned in Russia, Russian authorities typically immediately place them in pretrial detention. Unfortunately, the problems of such Russians are ignored today; the lack of international protection makes Russians among the most vulnerable in the world. I would also like to draw attention to countries where Russians are systematically killed, kidnapped, and exploited: Thailand, Indonesia (Bali), the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. Similar information is being published by international human rights organizations; the problem is systemic and requires international intervention.
The Association of Russian Lawyers for Human Rights is also accepting reports of missing Russians in Southeast Asia and will continue to monitor the situation.
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