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The Russian Law on Refugees through the lens of the European Court of Human Rights
Migration is a pivotal issue for Russia. Migrants came to almost 8% of the overall Russian population. According to the UNHCR in 2016, 322,856 people have sought international or temporary protection in the Russian Federation (RF). The migration emergency in Russia is not only tied to the massive arrival of Ukrainians but also stems from refugee and asylum seekers from other theatres of war—like Syria and Afghanistan—or authoritarian regimes such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The latter face several difficulties with asylum procedures and the recognition of their status. The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly highlighted the shortcomings of the Russian Refugee Law. Moreover, since 2010, the Court condemned the RF for the extraditions and “undercover” transfers of Uzbek and Tajik asylum seekers in violation of the Court interim measures. During the past years, the decisions of the Court have stimulated a jurisprudential openness, however, a few legislative steps have been done.