Moscow, Russia – The Lefortovo court in Moscow has prolonged the detention of German Moyzhes, a Russian-German migration lawyer, on charges of treason. Moyzhes’ case, which remains shrouded in secrecy, underscores a broader trend where Russia seems to detain Western or dual-nationality citizens amidst the geopolitical tensions following its invasion of Ukraine.
Moyzhes, 39, was initially taken into custody by Russian security forces in Saint Petersburg in May. According to the court’s website, his pre-trial confinement has been recently extended, though specific details regarding the duration or conditions of this extension were not disclosed. As with many treason trials in Russia, which potentially carry life sentences, the proceedings and charges are classified.
The connection, if any, between Moyzhes’ professional activities and the treason charges has not been made clear. He worked as a lawyer and managing partner at Cologne-based Avers Group Germany. Through his firm, Moyzhes facilitated the acquisition of residency permits in Germany for affluent individuals from post-Soviet states, including Russia.
Russian authorities are increasingly viewed as using detained foreign and dual nationality individuals as leverage in diplomatic negotiations, particularly in prisoner exchanges. This pattern of strategic detentions hints at a potential strategy to secure concessions or the release of Russian citizens held abroad.
For instance, Russia has displayed interest in the exchange of Vadim Krasikov, who is currently imprisoned in Germany. Krasikov was convicted of assassinating a Chechen exile in a Berlin park, a killing German courts have deemed a state-ordered execution likely linked to the Russian FSB security service.
The situation with Moyzhes arrives amid worsening relations between Russia and Western nations, particularly since the Russian military action in Ukraine. The detention of Western citizens like Moyzhes often exacerbates tensions, leading to allegations from Western governments such as the United States that Russia engages in unjust detentions to use prisoners as bargaining chips.
Similarly, accusations against Russia for holding foreign nationals have been part of an ongoing narrative of punitive detainment rather than genuine criminal proceedings. Last week, a high-profile case involved U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich, who received a 16-year sentence on charges of espionage, which the U.S. promptly denounced as unfounded.
Additionally, the sentencing of U.S.-Russian journalist Alsu Kurmasheva to over six years on charges of breaking Russia’s stringent military censorship laws has further highlighted the dangers journalists and professionals face under Russia’s intensifying crackdown on dissent and media freedom.
As long-held diplomatic norms continue to shift and mutate under these conflict-ridden conditions, the international community watches closely how each detained individual’s case could signal shifts in broader geopolitical maneuvers. The detainment of figures like German Moyzhes remains a focal point of international concern and a key topic in discussions on the rule of law and the rights of dual nationals during conflicts.