The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation has added the Georgian NGO “Russians of Batumi” to its list of “undesirable” organizations. The anti-war association of citizens who relocated to Georgia following the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine opposes Kremlin policy and provides assistance to fellow relocants.
On its Telegram channel, the community commented on the Justice Ministry’s decision, stating that being designated an undesirable organization “means that you and we are doing everything right, and we are undesirable only to them.”
“We do not recognize this decision and believe that our activities do not cause any harm to the interests of Russia and its citizens. We will continue our work, help political prisoners, and raise donations for worthwhile causes. We urge you to support us in this — it is safe and morally right if you are abroad and do not plan to go to Russia.”
The organization also added that it welcomes new members as long as they do not travel to Russia, which makes participation safe for them. “However, if you are currently in Russia or plan to travel there, out of care for you we must issue a warning: Under current legislation, Russian citizens are prohibited from donating to us or encouraging others to do so under threat of criminal prosecution. If you have done this before, especially using Russian bank cards, we recommend that you leave Russia as soon as possible.”
The authors also warned that reposting the community’s materials, publishing screenshots and links, and distributing videos could lead to administrative fines. In the event of a “repeat violation,” offenders face criminal liability.
“With this decision, the Russian authorities are trying to tell us that it is now forbidden to be Russian, live in Batumi, and wish for a bright future for our country — because that is precisely what unites us all.”
The statement also noted that today “it is unsafe for any honest person who opposes the war and the Putin regime to travel to Russia.” This is particularly true if an individual has participated in the community’s events, shared its posts, or made donations — “this may carry an even greater risk of administrative or criminal prosecution.”