News

As part of his participation in the XII St. Petersburg International Legal Forum, Chairman of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Alexander Ivanovich Bastrykin, spoke at the session organized by the All-Russian State University of Justice (RPA of the Ministry of Justice of Russia) titled "Legal Aspects of Migration Policy in Modern Russia." The session was moderated by Olga Ivanovna Alexandrova, Rector of the All-Russian State University of Justice (RPA of the Ministry of Justice of Russia). Other speakers included Andrey Alexandrovich Klishas, Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation; Anzor Akhmedovich Muzaev, Head of the Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science; Kirill Viktorovich Kabanov, Chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Committee; Sergey Nikolaevich Nuzhdin, Chairman of the Migration and Local Stay Coordination Committee of the All-Russian Public Organization of Small and Medium Enterprises "OPORA RUSSIA"; and Zemfira Mukhurbievna Kazachkova, Head of the Department of Administrative, Financial, and Information Law at the All-Russian State University of Justice (RPA of the Ministry of Justice of Russia).

The session participants discussed the impact of migration processes on the economic, political, and social spheres of the state and society. They emphasized the importance of creating conditions and mechanisms to attract highly qualified specialists demanded by the economy.

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Russia provided data on the number of crimes, noting that last year the proportion of investigated particularly serious crimes in the overall crime rate among migrants increased from 19% to 26%. He expressed concern over the increase in sexual crimes committed by foreign citizens, economic crimes, drug trafficking, and extremist activities in 2023.

A.I. Bastrykin stated that the geography of migration-related crime is expanding, with a significant number of such crimes recorded in the Samara and Chelyabinsk regions, Altai Krai, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Tambov, Kemerovo, Penza, and several other regions. He noted that alongside crimes committed by migrants, cases involving officials who committed crimes in the field of migration registration are being investigated. This year, Investigative Committee investigators have brought 77 individuals, including employees of migration departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, to criminal responsibility.

The head of the Investigative Committee emphasized the importance of synchronizing the procedure for obtaining a Russian passport with simultaneous military registration. He highlighted that in October 2023, a special group was created within the Investigative Committee of Russia. As a result of efforts made in cooperation with relevant ministries and agencies, over 30,000 so-called new Russians were registered for military service, and 10,000 migrants were sent to the Special Military Operation (SMO) zone.

During the discussion, A.I. Bastrykin also expressed the need to develop a mechanism for the functioning of internal migration, ensuring a decent level of guarantees for compatriots and utilizing the experience of the Soviet past.

He noted that the Investigative Committee is implementing a comprehensive set of procedural measures within its competence aimed at preventing migrant crime. However, it is extremely difficult to overcome negative trends solely through criminal law measures. The agency regularly makes proposals to improve the interaction of law enforcement, control, and supervisory bodies in migration policy and to adapt the regulatory framework to new realities.

The Chairman of the Investigative Committee suggested adding to the list of aggravating circumstances (Article 63 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation) a point such as "committing a crime by a foreign citizen who is on the territory of the Russian Federation in violation of the established order." He also called on legislative authorities to intensify legislative activities in the field of migration legislation to ensure the national interests of the country. "The most important thing is to change Russia's migration policy, clearly justify the necessity, and perhaps even make it so that internal resources solve political, economic, national, and other problems," A.I. Bastrykin concluded.

Participants in the discussion also expressed their opinions on migration policy and its legal regulation.