Activists push for overhaul of Canadian immigration law
The occasion was the case of a Russian anti-war activist.
Activists and human rights experts are demanding that Canada revise immigration rules that could lead to Russians being denied asylum or citizenship due to charges under Russia's laws targeting anti-war opinion. The issue has come to a head after the incident involving Maria Kartasheva, an Ottawa-based activist who has been living in Canada since 2019 and has faced problems in obtaining Canadian citizenship due to Russian charges.
The case of Maria Kartasheva
Kartasheva was charged under a Russian law that prohibits the dissemination of "false information" about the army, passed shortly after the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. According to the New York Times, more than 6,500 people have been detained for violating that law.
In November, Kartasheva was sentenced in absentia in Russia for eight years for two social media posts in which she condemned Russia's actions in Bucha. In Canada, immigration rules allow for citizenship to be revoked or denied if an applicant is charged with an offense that can be dealt with under the Criminal Code of Canada.
After Kartasheva informed a Canadian immigration official of the Russian accusation, her citizenship application was suspended. The ministry likened the accusations to Canada's false information law. The incident raised concerns among Kartasheva about possible deportation. However, after media publicity, Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced that Kartasheva would be granted citizenship. Miller acknowledged that sometimes the rules can fail. As a result, Kartasheva was sworn in at a virtual ceremony.
Not an isolated incident, but a system
Experts and lawyers, including an opposition politician convicted under a similar Russian law, have expressed the view that Canada needs to clarify its immigration rules to avoid similar mistakes. Matthew Light of the University of Toronto emphasized the importance of understanding the true nature of the Russian political system.
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