Bi-2 members, held for performing with out permits, have criticised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and President Vladimir Putin.
Members of a dissident Russian-Belarusian rock band essential of Moscow’s struggle in Ukraine have been jailed in Thailand, with rising calls to not deport them to Russia.
Progressive rock group Bi-2’s members remained locked up on Wednesday after being detained for performing with out work permits in Thailand. The group has spoken out towards Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The group was detained final week after it performed a gig in Phuket, a southern Thai island well-liked with overseas vacationers together with many Russians.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated Bi-2 will face “persecution” if returned to Russia, and referred to the Russian Ministry of Overseas Affairs spokesperson accusing the band of “sponsoring terrorism”.
A publish on the seven-member band’s official Telegram channel on Wednesday stated singer Yegor Bortnik, identified by his stage title Lyova, had left Thailand.
“Lyova Bi-2 flew to Israel, the remainder of the group members are nonetheless in a migration jail in a cramped cell for 80 individuals,” the publish learn.
The detained musicians “embrace Russian residents in addition to twin nationals of Russia and different nations, together with Israel and Australia,” HRW stated in a press release on Tuesday. These holding solely Russian citizenship are considered most in danger.
Thai officers confirmed the band’s arrest final week and stated they now face doable deportation.
“This normally ends in deportation to their nation of origin however there’s some discretion [about the destination],” stated Kriangkrai Ariyaying, the superintendent of Phuket’s Immigration Bureau.
The nation’s Nationwide Safety Council “is trying into the matter, seeing what are particulars together with the band members’ names and nationalities,” Overseas Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara informed reporters on Wednesday.
VPI Occasion, which organises concert events in Thailand, stated all the mandatory permits have been obtained, however the band had been given vacationer visas in error.
“Sometimes, in such instances, migration providers contact the organiser of the occasion to use acceptable sanctions. However on this case, the eye of the migration providers was targeted solely on the artists,” VPI stated, including that the Russian consulate had tried to cancel Bi-2’s concert events in December.
HRW stated Thailand has a world authorized obligation to not forcibly return anybody who faces the specter of torture if returned.
“On no account ought to they be deported to Russia, the place they may face arrest or worse for his or her outspoken criticisms” of Putin and the struggle, stated Elaine Pearson, HRW’s Asia director.
HRW additionally stated that “amid repression in Russia reaching new heights, Russian authorities have used transnational repression – abuses dedicated towards nationals past a authorities’s jurisdiction – to focus on activists and authorities critics overseas with violence and different illegal actions”.
Self-exile
Bi-2 is well-liked in Russia. A number of of its concert events have been cancelled in 2022 after the band refused to play at a venue with banners supporting the struggle in Ukraine, following which the group left Russia.
One of many band’s founders has brazenly denounced the Putin authorities, saying it makes him really feel “solely disgust” and accusing the chief of getting “destroyed” Russia.
Exiled Belarusian opposition chief Svetlana Tikhanovskaya urged Thailand to “discover a answer” to the band’s visa difficulty.
I am nervous concerning the 🇹🇭 scenario involving the Belarus-born rock band Bi-2. It is now completely clear that Russia is behind the operation to deport the band. I urge the Royal Thai Authorities & democratic nations to discover a answer to make sure the liberty of those courageous musicians. pic.twitter.com/IJeQApQxbm
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) January 30, 2024
“I’m nervous concerning the scenario involving the Belarus-born rock band Bi-2,” she wrote on X.
“It’s now completely clear that Russia is behind the operation to deport the band.”
Bi-2 has a couple of million subscribers to its YouTube channel and 376,000 month-to-month listeners on Spotify.
