Deportation to Russia: The Dangerous Reality for Naturalized Afghan-Russian Citizens

If a returned citizen is mobilized and subsequently refuses to fight or obey orders, they face immediate extrajudicial detention. One of the most harrowing methods of coercion used by military commanders is imprisonment in "pits" (known as *yamy*) or "zindans".

These are improvised, underground holding areas—often actual dirt pits dug into the earth, metal cages, or unheated, waterlogged basements located near the front lines or in occupied territories. Detainees are forced into these cramped, dark spaces for weeks on end, completely cut off from the outside world. Kept in freezing temperatures, standing or sleeping in filthy mud and water without dry ground, they are denied basic sanitation, medical care, and regular food.

In these pits, individuals are subjected to intense psychological pressure, regular physical abuse, and torture designed to break their will and force them back onto the battlefield. Recent legal changes have even sought to regularize these military arrests without a court trial, giving commanders nearly unlimited authority to detain "refuseniks" under these inhumane conditions.

Beyond the threat of underground military prisons, naturalized citizens of non-Slavic descent face a systematic gauntlet of state-backed persecution:

• **Border Detention and Forced Transport:** Immediate interception by security services at passport control, followed by direct, compulsory transport to military enlistment offices.
• **Citizenship Revocation and Deportation:** Stripping of acquired citizenship for minor administrative infractions, such as failing to update military registration. This can result in subsequent deportation to highly unsafe home countries, including Afghanistan, where they face further severe harm.
• **Expedited "Serviceman" Status:** Fast-tracked and perfunctory medical reviews designed to quickly transition a civilian's status to active military duty, stripping them of civilian legal protections.
• **Severe Criminal Prosecution:** Long prison sentences (up to 15 years) in harsh penal colonies under charges of desertion or refusing orders.
• **"Cannon Fodder" Deployment:** Disproportionate deployment of ethnic minorities and newly naturalized citizens to the most dangerous, exposed frontline positions, resulting in significantly higher casualty rates than those of ethnic Russian soldiers.
• **Extreme Extrajudicial Violence:** Exposure to public, highly brutal symbolic punishments and executions used by state-aligned paramilitary forces to terrorize soldiers and deter dissent.

If you or someone you know is an Afghan-Russian national facing deportation, navigating these complex and life-threatening country conditions requires thorough, evidence-based legal preparation. Developing a detailed country condition report is a critical step in demonstrating a well-founded fear of persecution before an immigration court.

We encourage potential asylum seekers and their legal representatives to reach out to an expert witness who can provide specialized declarations and objective testimony to support your case. Please contact us to connect with a qualified expert today.