Olof Palme Center Representative Not Allowed to Visit Minsk
17:41, — Politics
Yesterday border police of Minsk airport without any explanations didn’t allow a representative of Olof Palme International Center in Stokholm, Natasha Alekseeva to enter Belarus.
N. Alekseeva, who has visited Minsk twice in 2007, has arrived to Minsk as a representative of Swedish organization Verdandi for planning together with Belarusian Social Democrats and representatives of the Belarusian civil society a joint program for assistance to Homel and Svetlahorsk dwellers addicted to alcohol and drugs.
Natasha Alekseeva, a Russian citizen, visited Belarus for several dozens of times. In the framework of agreements existing between the Russian Federation and Belarus, citizens of the both countries can cross the border without special permissions and visas. A ban for entering the country for a Russian citizen could be viewed as a gross violation of Human Rights Convention and other international norms.
Natasha Alekseeva has never had any problems with Belarusian authorities. For more than 10 years she has been visiting Belarus, where she has many friends and acquaintances in many public organizations and political parties. Last time she visited Belarus in the end of May 2007, when she had been invited by a member of Swedish parliament Tune Tinsgord as a guest of the Democratic Forces Congress.
