Russia warns of extradition risks for citizens abroad, includes Armenia on list

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday warned its citizens of an increased risk of detention and extradition to the United States when travelling abroad, naming Armenia and a range of other countries as jurisdictions where such risks may arise.

Grigory Lukyantsev, director of the Foreign Ministry’s department for multilateral cooperation on human rights, told RIA Novosti that many states not only in the European Union but also more broadly have extradition obligations that Russian citizens should consider when assessing travel risks.

“The Foreign Ministry does not determine where Russian citizens should or should not travel,” Lukyantsev said. “However, it can recommend avoiding certain countries if citizens believe they may face issues in relation to U.S. or European authorities.”

According to a list published by the ministry, countries identified as posing an elevated risk of detention at the request of the United States include most of Europe and Latin America, as well as Australia, Canada, Israel, Maldives, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Liberia and Morocco.

The ministry said the list does not exhaust all countries that have extradition agreements with the United States.