"Civil death" for relocants: banks will block accounts, property will be frozen, passports will not be changed.

      In Russia, discussions continue regarding new restrictions for citizens who have left the country and are evading court decisions. On July 22, the State Duma reviewed a package of bills on temporary restrictive measures concerning individuals outside the Russian Federation in its second reading. The documents were approved in the first reading back in December 2025.

      Who will be affected by the new measures

      The bills do not apply to all Russians living abroad, but rather to those who are hiding from criminal liability or have been held accountable under administrative articles. This includes, in particular, "discrediting" the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, calls for violating the territorial integrity of the country or imposing sanctions, participation in "undesirable organizations," as well as violations of legislation on foreign agents. It is planned that the Ministry of Justice will maintain a public register of such individuals.

      What restrictions are already provided

      Among the already approved measures are the freezing of funds and property, suspension of property rights registration, prohibition on managing vehicles and registering cars, refusal to provide state and municipal services in electronic form, as well as a ban on registration as an individual entrepreneur or self-employed person.

      In addition, access to a number of consular services will be prohibited, including passport issuance, marriage registration, obtaining documents, and legal assistance.

      What else is being discussed

      The law was tightened for the second reading. The new version includes a direct obligation for banks to block access to mobile applications and personal accounts on websites for individuals subject to restrictions. The prohibition on real estate transactions has also been more clearly defined — now the Rosreestr must return documents without consideration, reports karelinform.ru.

      A provision for the recovery of court costs and damages from frozen funds has also been added. In the initial version of the bill, it was planned that the new norms would come into effect on March 1, 2026, however, this deferred deadline has been removed in the version for the second reading — the law will come into force from the moment of official publication.

      According to several sources, additional measures are being considered, including a complete block on access to banking services and a ban on all real estate transactions.

      Why the bill has sparked discussion

      Experts have differing opinions on the necessity of such measures. According to the authorities, there must be established evidence of evasion of punishment, and the individuals in question must be outside the country. State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin stated that "even being outside the country, fleeing traitors must realize the inevitability of punishment for their actions."

      Human rights organizations, on the contrary, call the bill "a frightening attempt to punish people who have left Russia but continue to criticize its authorities." Lawyers warn that if the law is adopted, Russians found guilty of administrative offenses will face restrictions that were previously applied only to those convicted of criminal cases. They believe that the refusal of consular services poses a particular danger, which could put people in a situation of "de facto statelessness."

      Due to the scale of potential restrictions, some commentators are already referring to such a scenario as "civil death," implying a situation where citizenship is retained, but it becomes impossible to use a significant portion of state services and financial instruments.