The news was confirmed by a post on the band’s Telegram channel just after midnight last night, reports The Phuket News’ Russian-language newspaper Novosti Phuketa.
“All the musicians of the Bi-2 group have safely left Thailand and are heading to Tel Aviv. Details tomorrow,” said the message.
None of the seven arrested were deported to Russia, where government officials openly call the musical group “anti-culture figures” and “sponsors of terrorism”, and the group’s frontman Egor Bortnik has been declared a “foreign agent”.
International human rights agency Human Rights Watch had already urged the Thai government to not deport any of the band members to Russia.
“Under no circumstances should they be deported to Russia, where they could face arrest or worse for their outspoken criticisms of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s war in Ukraine,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya launched a petition on change.org, also urging the Thai government not to deport the band to Russia.
“I’m worried about the situation involving the Belarus-born rock band Bi-2,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “It’s now absolutely clear that Russia is behind the operation to deport the band.”
Confirmation of the group’s safe passage to Israel came one week after their arrest immediately after they performed a concert at the Illuzion nightclub on Bangla Rd, Patong.
Pol Maj Gen Pantama Nutnarot, Deputy Chief of Immigration Bureau, offered some calm before the band’s departure. “Those wanted for political or other reasons won’t be sent back to Russia,” he assured.
The band indicated in their posts online that their arrest was the result of the activities of the Russian Consulate General in Phuket, Novosti Phuketa reported.
However, the organisers of the band’s concerts in Thailand, VPI Event, claimed they had secured all necessary permits, but the band was issued tourist visas erroneously, resulting in their detention.
VPI asserted that immigration officers focused solely on penalising the artists, ignoring the usual protocol of contacting event organisers in such situations, AFP reported.
Of note, before coming to Phuket, Bi-2 performed in concert in Pattaya, where they were not arrested for working illegally.
The Russian Embassy in Thailand stated on Tuesday (Ja 30) that the initiative to check Bi-2’s papers after the Phuket concert came from the Tourist Police themselves. “Local authorities act in their own interests and do not need anyone’s advice or recommendations, [they] independently carry out supervisory activities and make decisions in relevant areas,” the embassy said.