Serbia's authorities refused to extend a residence permit for Russian anti-war activist Vladimir Volokhonsky and he was served the decision to that effect on Tuesday, the Russian Democratic Society NGO has said.

Earlier this month, Serbian border police denied the NGO’s activist Peter Nikitin entry to the country and kept him at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport for two days.

An opposition politician from St. Petersburg, Volokhonsky arrived in Serbia in May 2022 after pressure and persecution in his home country. As a foreigner in Serbia, he had a temporary residence permit until now.

Together with other antiwar activists in Serbia, he founded the Russian Democratic Society and took part in many protests against the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Volokhonsky told Radio Free Europe the decision not to extend his residence permit was “a form of political pressure.”

“Since my activities, like all the activities of the Russian Democratic Society, are completely public and legal, I see no reason to consider ourselves a threat to the security of the state in any way,” he said.

In their decision, Volokhonsky said, the police cite the Serbian Security Intelligence Agency’s assessment that he represents an unacceptable security risk. He has two weeks to appeal the decision and said he would do so and seek its reversal.