The newest update to the travel advisories the US State Department issued on Tuesday warns Americans not to travel to Russia at all, making it one of the few countries slapped with a brand-new risk indicator.
After the Tuesday travel advisory update, Russia has joined China, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and Myanmar on the list of countries slapped with a new “D” risk indicator which stands for “risk of wrongful detention by a foreign government.”
Russia was given the highest possible risk level – “Do not travel”- as a country where security services have been applying regulations targeted specifically against foreigners to single out US citizens for detention and harassment so the Americans traveling to Russia might face targeted persecution.
All Americans – former and current government officials and private citizens – residing or traveling in Russia are advised to depart Russia immediately to avoid becoming victims of harassment, mistreatment, extortion, and detention.
On top of the arbitrary enforcement of local law, Covid-19 restrictions and even terrorism, the US State Department added Moscow’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine, which Washington considers an unprovoked and unjustified invasion, to the list of reasons due to which US citizens should not even consider going to Russia.
Washington accuses Russian security services of using spurious charges to arrest US citizens that are later denied fair and transparent treatment and are convicted in secret trials.
Despite not presenting any specific evidence to back up such claims in the travel advisory, Washington notes that at least one American has been wrongfully detained by the Russian government, as determined by the State Department.
The newest travel advisory update comes in light of the executive order US President Joe Biden signed to help deter hostage-taking and the wrongful detention of US nationals by providing his administration with additional tools such as financial sanctions and visa bans targeting people involved in such practices.
Be the first to comment