Russia defends expulsion of veteran US reporter
Print Edition
Russia said yesterday it had expelled veteran US reporter David Satter because he had “grossly violated” visa entry rules in a case that threatens to further chill ties between the former Cold War foes.
The former Financial Times and Wall Street Journal correspondent who has published three books on Russia and the former Soviet Union said he was barred from Moscow without an explanation late last year.
The US embassy has filed a protest over the decision.
Satter said he traveled on December 5 to the Ukrainian capital Kiev to report on the mass pro-EU protests gripping the former Soviet state.
The 66-year-old said he was then told on December 25 that his application for a new visa to Russia had been rejected on the grounds that his presence was “undesirable.”
“The competent organs have determined that your presence, on the territory of the Russian Federation, is undesirable,” Satter cited the official Russian decision as saying on his Twitter account.
“Competent organs” is a phrase used by Russian authorities to refer to the Federal Security Service (ex-KGB) that President Vladimir Putin headed shortly before he first became president in 2000.
The Russian foreign ministry said Satter was well aware that he had violated migration rules.
“He was denied a multi-entry visa on the grounds that he grossly violated Russian migration law,” the ministry said.
The current law prevents Satter from applying for a new visa for another five years.
The ministry said Satter entered Russia on November 21 and was then required to “immediately” report to the Federal Migration Service in order to receive his multi-entry correspondent’s visa.
“Despite this, DA Satter only appeared at the UFMS on November 26, 2013, when he was denied the multi-entry visa on the grounds of a gross violation of Russian migration law,” the foreign ministry said.
It added that a Moscow district court on November 29 found him guilty of an administrative violation and ordered him expelled from the country.
“He admitted his guilt,” the Russian statement said.
Satter had been living in Russia since September 2013.
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