Since last week, the self-exiled Russian-Belarusian rock band Bi-2 has faced detention in Thailand. Despite possessing plane tickets, the members find themselves confined in a detention center along with 80 other individuals. Russian authorities are exacerbating the situation for the anti-war music act as they await freedom. The Bi-2 members are apprehensive about the potential consequences of being deported back to Russia.
Diplomatically resolving the issue proves challenging, given the complexity of the situation. Some Bi-2 members possess dual citizenships of Australia and Israel, while two others, namely Shura and Lyova, are not even Russian citizens. The circumstances continue to create a cyclical challenge, prolonging the period of uncertainty and distress for the band members. Here’s a breakdown of what transpired and the reasons behind their current predicament.
Why was Bi2 detained?
Since 2022, Bi-2 has been performing outside of Russia and returned to Thailand’s Phuket in 2024 for promotional activities. However, their musical fest faced a sudden halt when Thai authorities, claiming unauthorized authorization for one of their concerts, intervened. Despite Bi-2’s opposition, as their shows in Thailand are not a novelty, fears of possible deportation have put everything at risk.
Thai immigration authorities detained seven members of the group last Wednesday, transferring the septet to Bangkok, where they are currently behind bars. Known for condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has identified the artists as dangerous elements. The group’s lead singer has even been labeled a “foreign agent” for his intense criticisms of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Bi-2 is not the only music act to have left Russia since the invasion of Ukraine. Many musicians have severed ties with the country and continued performances elsewhere. However, Bi-2 faces an uncertain future, as deportation could potentially subject the group to severe and excruciating punishments.
As pro-Putin associations advocate for labeling Bi-2 as criminals and treating them accordingly, Human Rights Watch has intervened against such severity. The international non-governmental organization is urging Thai authorities not to deport the group back to Russia. Elaine Pearson, the organization’s Asia director, has called for the immediate release of the detained members.
According to reports, Bi-2 was detained under the influence of Vladimir Sosnow, Phuket’s Russian consul. An anonymous source revealed that Thai authorities have received a blacklist of Russian artists, with the Kremlin pressuring them to deport these musicians back to Russia.
Bi2 members refuse to meet with the Russian consul
Due to not all members being Russian, deporting them back to the country is not feasible. Israeli diplomats attempted to facilitate the group’s passage to Tel Aviv, but the Russian consul intervened once again. Despite the Bi-2 members refusing to meet with the Russian consul’s high-ranking diplomats, they have been informed that their travel to Israel has been canceled.
The group’s representatives continue to share updates on their social media pages. A recent update on X (formerly Twitter) informs that the members are still confined inside the migration prison and have been denied the previously agreed-upon flight to Israel.