Putin signs law allowing seizure of property in Russia belonging to citizens abroad for ‘offenses against Russia’s interests’
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a law exposing Russians living abroad to administrative prosecution for “offenses against the interests” of the state.
The offenses covered include insulting the head of state or government officials, “discrediting” the army, calling for sanctions, and publicly comparing the Soviet Union to Nazi Germany.
Under the law, authorities may seize the property and bank accounts of Russians who have left the country as a “precautionary measure,” with assets remaining frozen until the fine is paid. The value of seized property may be disproportionate to the fine itself.
The law takes effect on September 1, 2026.
In reality, courts had previously fined people located outside Russia under the relevant administrative statutes — the law merely formalizes existing practice. However, the seizure of property as a precautionary measure had not previously been provided for.
At Meduza, we are committed to transparency about our use of artificial intelligence in the newsroom. The story you’re reading was written by one of our living, breathing journalists and translated from Russian using an AI model configured to follow our strict editorial standards. This translation process is the result of extensive testing and refinements to ensure our English-language coverage is timely and accurate. A Meduza editor reviews every draft before publication.
If you find any errors in this translation, please contact us at reports@meduza.io.
To read Meduza’s exclusive content in English, please subscribe to our newsletter.