BANGKOK: A dissident Russian-Belarusian rock band, Bi-2, previously held in Thailand on immigration charges, has successfully left the kingdom for Israel, as confirmed by a post on the band’s official Facebook page. Bi-2, known for criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin and condemning the war in Ukraine, faced concerns of potential deportation to Russia and subsequent persecution.
The National Security Council of Thailand, chaired by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, assumed control of the case, leading to the confirmation of the band’s departure on Thursday. The Facebook post stated, “All musicians of the Bi-2 group have safely left Thailand and are heading to Tel Aviv.”
The band includes members with dual nationalities, including Israeli and Australian. Earlier, singer Egor Bortnik, performing under the stage name Lyova, had already departed for Israel from Thailand.
Bi-2 was detained after a performance on Phuket, a popular southern island for Russian tourists. Thai authorities claimed they were arrested for performing without the correct work permits and were subsequently transferred to an immigration detention center in Bangkok.
The organizers of the band’s concerts in Thailand insisted that all necessary permits were obtained, but the band was mistakenly issued tourist visas. VPI Event, the concert organizers, accused the Russian consulate of campaigning to cancel the concerts and highlighted unprecedented pressure during efforts to secure the band’s release.
Bi-2, well-known in Russia, faced concert cancellations in 2022 for refusing to perform at a venue displaying pro-war banners supporting the conflict in Ukraine. The band left Russia after these incidents, with one of its founders openly denouncing the Putin government.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on Thailand to release the band, citing concerns of persecution if returned to Russia. Russia’s foreign ministry had designated frontman Egor Bortnik as a “foreign agent” for opposing the war in Ukraine. Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya also expressed concern and urged Thailand to find a solution, alleging Russian involvement in the operation to deport the band.
