Russia: Information on propiska (residence permits)

Publisher	Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Author	Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada
Publication Date	1 July 1994
Citation / Document Symbol	RUS17808.E
Cite as	Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Russia: Information on propiska (residence permits), 1 July 1994, RUS17808.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab9c74.html [accessed 1 June 2023]
Disclaimer	This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Although the Russian parliament officially abolished propiskas in December 1992, reports indicate that a residence permit system remains in place in Moscow (AP 6 July 1994; The Washington Post 17 June 1994; BBC Summary 13 July 1994; The Independent 18 Oct. 1993).

In April 1993 Moscow authorities introduced regulations requiring all non-residents to register with the police, although reports differ on the details of those regulations (Reuters 15 Nov. 1993; Rossiskaya Gazeta 19 Oct. 1993; Human Rights Watch Dec. 1993, 232-33). There are a number of references to temporary residence permits and registration of non-residents in Moscow prior to October 1993, but Helsinki Watch indicates that the system was not enforced until the state of emergency was declared in Moscow in October 1993 (ibid.; The Independent 18 Oct. 1993; Izvestia 14 Oct. 1993; Sevodnya 16 Oct. 1993). Moscow officials have also referred to those regulations as a "visa-system" (ibid.).

During the state of emergency, which was in effect from 3-18 October 1993, Moscow authorities expelled from the city individuals who either had no propiska or had not registered as temporary residents (Le Monde 16 Oct. 1993; Financial Times 16 Oct. 1993; The Independent 18 Oct. 1993; The Irish Times 11 Oct. 1993). Police officials indicated that the operation, known as Signal Ring, was aimed at "cleansing" criminal elements from the city, but human rights groups and the embassies of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia protested that the detentions and expulsions carried out under the action were discriminatory (ibid.; BBC Summary 19 Oct. 1993; Le Monde 16 Oct. 1993; Human Rights Watch Dec. 1993, 232-33; Nezavisimaya Gazeta 21 Oct. 1993; Financial Times 16 Oct. 1993). About 90 per cent of those deported were from the newly-independent states of the Caucasus (ibid.; BBC Summary 18 Oct. 1993; BBC Summary 13 Oct. 1993; Reuters 15 Nov. 1993).

Statistics on the number of people removed vary significantly. On 19 October the Russian Interior Ministry announced that almost 9,800 people had been deported during the state of emergency, while on 14 October Moscow authorities stated that 12,000 people had been expelled (ibid.; Izvestia 14 Oct. 1993; Sevodnya 21 Oct. 1993). According to unofficial sources, between 7,000 and 9,000 people were expelled and another 10,000 left voluntarily in order to avoid being apprehended by the security forces (Financial Times 16 Oct. 1993; Human Rights Watch Dec. 1993, 232). There were numerous reports of human rights violations by police in association with these detentions and expulsions, including destruction of valid residence and refugee documents, theft and beatings (ibid., 233; Le Monde 16 Oct. 1993; The Independent 18 Oct. 1993; Sevodnya 16 Oct. 1993; Nezavisimaya Gazeta 21 Oct. 1993; ibid. 9 Oct. 1993). Human rights groups and diplomatic missions maintained that the vast majority of those deported were either refugees or involved in legitimate business (Financial Times 16 Oct. 1993; Reuters 13 Oct. 1993).

On 15 November 1993, new temporary residence regulations for the city of Moscow came into effect. These regulations required all visitors to the city to register and pay a daily fee equivalent to one-tenth the minimum monthly salary (Reuters 15 Nov. 1993; BBC Summary 16 Nov. 1993). Violators would be subject to stiff fines and/or deportation (ibid.). By mid-December more than 90 million rubles in fines had been collected from several thousand people (Nezavisimaya Gazeta 9 Dec. 1993; Izvestia 14 Dec. 1993). At that time the mayor of Moscow, Yuri Luzhkov, formally approved expulsion procedures whereby those violating the November regulations could be held for a maximum of 72 hours, after which time they would be removed (ibid.; BBC Summary 16 Dec. 1993).

The number of deportations from Moscow fell off sharply after 18 October 1993. According to a representative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Moscow, many of those who were expelled have returned, and fruit and vegetable markets operated by Caucasian traders (a primary target of Operation Signal Ring) are busier than ever (13 July 1994). In mid-June 1994 Luzhkov said the 1993 regulations were not being properly enforced because police were "not zealous enough and corrupt" (Russian Press Digest 16 June 1994).

With respect to propiska, the Moscow city parliament (duma) recently approved a draft measure that will allow people who own an apartment to buy a residence permit, but the regulation requires final approval from the duma, which has recessed until September (IOM 13 July 1994; BBC Summary 13 July 1994).

Reports indicate that similar residence permit systems are in effect in St. Petersburg and Stavropol oblasts (ibid. 3 Dec. 1993; Human Rights Watch Dec. 1993). In 1993 Armenian families without such permits were reportedly evicted from a town and a village in the Stavropol oblast, while St. Petersburg implemented a registration procedure for non-Russian citizens and non-residents (ibid.).

For additional information on the issues discussed above, please refer to Responses to Information Requests RUS17211.E (29 Apr. 1994), RUS17000.E (8 Apr. 1994), RUS16624.E (6 Apr. 1994) and RUS16144.E (4 Jan. 1994).

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

The Associated Press (AP). 6 July 1994. "Human Rights Group Cites Violations in Russia." (NEXIS)

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts. 13 July 1994. "Moscow City Duma Passes Residence Permit Charge Plan." (NEXIS)

. 16 December 1993. "Luzhkov Approves Procedure for Expelling Illegal Residents from Moscow." (NEXIS)

. 3 December 1993. "St. Petersburg Introduces New Regulations for Visitors." (NEXIS)

. 16 November 1993. "New Residence Regulations for Foreigners in Moscow." (NEXIS)

. 19 October 1993. "Crime, Casualties and Expulsions During Curfew in Moscow." (NEXIS)

. 18 October 1993. "Memorial Organization Says Measures Imposed in Russia Violate Human Rights." (NEXIS)

. 13 October 1993. "Over 4,000 People Expelled from Moscow Since State of Emergency Imposed." (SU/1822 B/11)

Financial Times. 16 October 1993. Gillian Tett. "Moscow Slated Over Rights: 'Campaign Against Ethnic Minorities' Criticized by Helsinki Group." (NEXIS)

Human Rights Watch. December 1993. Human Rights Watch World Report 1994. New York: Human Rights Watch.

The Independent [London]. 18 October 1993. Helen Womack. "Minorities Bear Brunt of Police Crime Clampdown." (NEXIS)

International Organization for Migration (IOM), Geneva. 13 July 1994. Telephone interview with representative.

The Irish Times. 11 October 1993. Seamus Martin. City Edition "Moscow's Clean-Up Has a Decidedly Ethnic Hue." (NEXIS)

Izvestia. 14 December 1993. "How Violaters of the Special Rules for Visiting Moscow Will Be Expelled." (Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press 12 Jan. 1994, p. 22; NEXIS)

. 14 October 1993. "Special Police Scour Markets for Vendors From South Without Passports." (Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press 17 Nov. 1993, pp. 10-11; NEXIS)

Le Monde [Paris]. 16 October 1993. Jose-Alain Fralon. "Russie: Moscou expulse ses Caucasiens." (NEXIS)

Nezavisimaya Gazeta. 9 December 1993. "The Mayor Stands His Ground." (Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press 12 Jan. 1994, p. 21; NEXIS)

. 21 October 1993. "During Emergency, Non-Russians Were Hunted Down, Beaten in Moscow, Then Deported." (Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press 17 Nov. 1993, p. 12; NEXIS)

. 9 October 1993. No headline provided. (Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press 17 Nov. 1993, p. 12)

Reuters. 15 November 1993. BC Cycle. Mark Trevelyan. "Moscow Clamps Down on Visitors from Republics." (NEXIS)

. 13 October 1993. BC Cycle. Fiona Fleck. "Russian Rights Activists Slam Police Deportations." (NEXIS)

Rossiskaya Gazeta. 19 October 1993. "State of Emergency Ends in Moscow." (Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press 17 Nov. 1993, p. 11; NEXIS)

Russian Press Digest. 16 June 1994. Irina Kochetova. "Russia's Capital-'Closed City'?" (NEXIS)

Sevodnya. 21 October 1993. "Moscow Commandant Kulikov Notes Some Bad Treatment of Detainees, Drop in Crime." (Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press 17 Nov. 1993, pp. 11-12; NEXIS)

. 16 October 1993. "Luzhkov Asks Visas to Keep Profiteering Outsiders Out of Moscow." (Current Digest of the Post-Soviet Press 17 Nov. 1993, p. 10; NEXIS)

The Washington Post. 17 June 1994. Fred Hiatt. Final Edition. "Moscow Mayor Revels in Role of City Boss." (NEXIS)

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