A Russian anti-war band that was detained in Thailand could be deported

Actors claim that a Russian-Belarusian rock band with anti-war sentiments that was on a tour in Thailand faces the possibility of being sent back to Russia. Human Rights Watch has called on the Thai government to refrain from deporting Bi-2, whose seven members are allegedly being persecuted and have drawn criticism from Moscow. While on tour in Phuket, a resort island that welcomes hundreds of thousands of Russian visitors, the band was jailed for performing without permission. They are being held at Bangkok’s jail.

However, Thai authorities have not yet addressed the BBC’s inquiries or made any public comments on the subject. The band was facing deportation, according to a statement posted on their official Facebook page, following their conviction on January 26 for playing a show without the proper authorization. It stated that they had settled the breach fine. However, in response to the post, a few of their fans said that the band had been singled out and that “Russian authorities found an excuse to detain them.” “Outside pressure played a significant role in our detention,” the band states in their statement. We are aware that this pressure is a result of [retaliation] against our opinions, inventiveness, and stance.”

The band has further claimed that because they were not given proper translation services, they were unable to comprehend the legal proceedings with Thai police and courts. Several of the seven band members hold dual citizenship with Israel and Australia, making them subject to deportation. However, activists caution that at least two of the members may be deported because they only hold Russian citizenship. The band’s circumstances remain undiscussed by Russian officials, and it is unclear if they have requested the band’s expulsion. However, the band has already been singled out for their “anti-Russian stance” by Russian MPs. The frontman Egor Bortnik was designated as a “foreign agent” by Russia’s justice ministry in May 2023 for “opposing” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and “making negative statements” about Russia, its people, and its government.