The State Duma of the Russian Federation unanimously adopted laws in the second and third readings on Wednesday, July 22, that introduce new restrictions for Russians who have been convicted in absentia and are living outside the country. "Those who have gone abroad and harm the country are not opposition; they are traitors. They are criminals," commented the adoption of the laws by the Chairman of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin. A package of two bills, "On Temporary Restrictive Measures Regarding Persons Outside the Russian Federation Who Are Evading Punishment" and "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation," was prepared and adopted in the first reading back in December 2025. The second document outlines how the requirements established in the first should be implemented. The bills were significantly revised by the second reading. ## Measures Will Affect Politically Persecuted Emigrants The restrictions are aimed at those Russians who have been convicted under any article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation or held liable under an administrative case. In particular, this concerns political articles regarding the "discrediting" of the Russian army, failure to pay fines related to "foreign agents," participation in the activities of a "undesirable organization," and public calls for violating the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation. A number of "temporary restrictive measures" will be established against such individuals, including: denial of state services within the country and consular services abroad (for example, a ban on issuing passports or powers of attorney); prohibition on selling their real estate and vehicles; blocking of accounts and deprivation of access to banking applications. Human rights defenders from the "First Department" note that the adopted amendments effectively deprive political emigrants of their citizenship. The law will come into force immediately after it is officially published.