Сирийская Арабская Республика
Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova’s answers to questions from Agence France-Presse on the repatriation of foreign terrorist fighters and their family members from Syria and Iraq
Agence France-Presse: How many militants – people of Russian descent and their family members, are currently staying in Syria and Iraq, including in prisons, after the rout of ISIS? What is the Russian Foreign Ministry’s estimate?
Maria Zakharova: The Russian Foreign Ministry does not have precise information on this because it is difficult to establish the nationality of foreign terrorist fighters in many cases.
We can report that according to the Monitoring Team of UN Security Council sanctions committees (pursuant to resolutions 1267/1989/2253 and 1988), the number of foreign terrorist fighters in Syria and Iraq is over 10,000. We can assume that there are Russian citizens among them.
Agence France-Presse: What is the Russian Federation’s position on the repatriation of these citizens, including women and children?
Maria Zakharova: The Russian Federation believes that any person has a legal right to return to the territory of his/her nationality.
In terms of international law, this right is based on the right to the freedom of movement as envisaged by Article 12 of the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and Article 2 of Protocol 4 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
This policy is fully reflected in Russian law as well, including part 2 of Article 27 of the Russian Constitution, Article 2 of Federal Law No. 114-FZ of August 15, 1996 On the Procedure of Exit from and Entry to the Russian Federation and Article 1 of Law No. 5242-1 of June 25, 1993 On the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to the Freedom of Movement and the Choice of Place of Stay and Residence within the Russian Federation.
Agence France-Presse: How many women and children that are Russian nationals has Russia already brought home?
Maria Zakharova: In the past few years, Russia has repatriated 341 minors that are Russian citizens from Syria and Iraq. The Office of the Children’s Rights Commissioner under the President of the Russian Federation manages this process, with support from the Foreign Ministry.
Agence France-Presse: Has the Russian Federation changed its policy on the return of this category of nationals to their homeland in the past few years?
Maria Zakharova: The policy of the Russian Federation on the return of this category of nationals is based on the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the federal laws of the Russian Federation, universally recognised norms and principles of international law, and applicable international treaties of the Russian Federation.
The Russian Federation proceeds from the premise that upon reaching the age of criminal responsibility, any person who is proved guilty of a criminal act in a legally established procedure must face criminal responsibility.