Russia's Duma Speaker claims deported migrants won’t join ISIS

Vyacheslav Volodin's statement contradicts experts' opinion

Vyacheslav Volodin, the Chairman of the State Duma, expressed his belief that the Central Asian migrants recently expelled from Russia would not ally themselves with ISIS, despite the warnings of some experts. His remarks came during a meeting with members of the Human Rights Council under the President of the Russian Federation on Monday.

Volodin: Deported migrants won't join ISIS

Volodin asserted that the migrants who were deported had come to Russia to work and earn money, not to engage in extremist activities. He believes that once they return to their home countries, they will continue to focus on their families and livelihoods rather than joining terrorist organizations.

He cited the case of Kyrgyz migrant Akram Azimov, who joined ISIS in Syria in 2013, as an isolated incident. He argued that Azimov had been radicalized before coming to Russia and that his case was not representative of the wider migrant population.

Experts disagree with Volodin's assessment

Experts, however, have expressed skepticism about Volodin's claims. They argue that the conditions in migrant detention centers in Russia can be harsh and that this can lead to radicalization. Additionally, they point to the fact that many migrants from Central Asia have joined ISIS in the past, including several who were deported from Russia.

It remains to be seen whether Volodin's prediction will hold true. However, the issue of radicalization among migrants is a complex one that requires further study and attention.