The authorities of Kyrgyzstan refused to grant political asylum to Artem Borodin, who was detained at the request of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, reports the Fund for Support of Left-wing Political Prisoners.
His case is being investigated by investigators in occupied Donetsk. The Foundation notes that Kyrgyzstan does not recognize these territories as Russian.
Borodin plans to appeal this decision. Now he is in Bishkek pre-trial detention center-1.
In March 2022, the activist was detained by employees of the DPR Ministry of State Security for posting leaflets calling on workers to defend their labor rights and seek an end to the war in Ukraine. Borodin is a Russian citizen, but he has relatives in Donetsk whom he came to visit.
After his arrest, he was kept in the basement for two months, and then transferred to pre-trial detention center No. 1 in Donetsk. A case of inciting hatred was opened against him. Borodin was in custody until December 2022.
“The actual reason for the persecution is his trade union and leftist activities,” the Foundation for the Support of Left-Wing Political Prisoners is confident.
After the activist’s preventive measure was relaxed, he left for Kyrgyzstan. According to the Memorial Human Rights Center, there Borodin learned that he was wanted, so he “lived very quietly” in the country for the next two years.
In August 2025, he was detained in Bishkek as a result of a random document check.