The Moscow region's prosecutor's office has started the process to strip an activist who has protested against the war in Ukraine of his Russian citizenship, even though he has lived almost his entire life in Russia and would be stateless if his passport is revoked.
Arshak Makichyan, a 28-year-old musician who is currently traveling in Germany, said in a video statement on Twitter on June 6 that he had lived in Russia for the past 27 years and accused the authorities of punishing him "for not being silent."
He obtained his citizenship in 2004.
Activists from the Pervoye Otdeleniye (First Unit) legal and human rights group said the prosecutors' move has been registered at the Shatura city court near Moscow, with a hearing scheduled for June 9.
"They want to take my only citizenship from me for my activities, for my demands to fight against global warming and my protests against the war [in Ukraine], for not being silent," Makichyan said in his video statement.
"I'm not going to keep quiet. Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin] is a war criminal and murderer, not the president of Russia. And I am Arshak, a citizen of Russia. I demand his resignation," he added, noting that he had "always considered himself Russian," had a Russian wife, and studied his entire life in the country.
Makichyan was a member of the international Fridays for Future ecological movement founded by Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
He has been arrested by Russian police several times at unsanctioned rallies by environmentalists, and once was sentenced to six days in jail for taking part in such a protest.
After Russia launched its war against Ukraine in late February, he began to openly protest against the conflict.
First Unit, an open community of lawyers and human rights activists that helps those with court cases, says it is representing Makichyan.
"Presumably, his political views became a reason why the authorities are trying to deprive Makichyan of Russian citizenship," the group said on Twitter.
"The stated reason is that when obtaining citizenship in 2004, he allegedly provided false information to government agencies. We looked into the documents and are sure that this claim is unfounded and far-fetched," it added.