Turkey deported a girl to Russia who is persecuted there for an anti-war inscription
This precedent could directly affect Belarusian political emigrants.
Turkish authorities have carried out the first known deportation of a Russian citizen who is persecuted in her homeland for political reasons. The victim of this decision was 24-year-old activist Ariadna Litvinova, who was detained by Turkish police and forcibly sent by plane to Moscow airport on July 4.
Upon arrival, the girl was detained by security forces.
Litvinova's criminal prosecution began after she applied the anti-war inscription "Murderers. Peace to Ukraine. Freedom to political prisoners" on pro-war street banners in St. Petersburg on February 24.
Initially, an administrative protocol was drawn up against her, and a case for vandalism was opened. The court placed her in custody, but later softened the measure of restraint to a "ban on certain actions," which allowed the activist to flee the country. After her departure, Russian investigators reclassified the charge to a more serious article — repeated "discreditation" of the army — and declared the girl wanted.
This precedent has become an alarming signal for political emigrants. Human rights activists note that the Turkish and Russian Interpol bureaus may have begun direct cooperation bypassing the central office in France, therefore Turkey is no longer a safe place for individuals facing criminal prosecution from the Kremlin.
The story could directly concern Belarusian political emigrants, as Russia and Belarus have a unified wanted list system and close security cooperation: if Ankara has started extraditing activists to the Kremlin, it could also extradite them at Minsk's request.