Belarusian authorities deny visa to Civil Rights Defenders’ Robert Hårdh

Robert Hårdh, Executive Director of the Swedish human rights organization Civil Rights Defenders, was denied entry to Belarus.

The decision was taken on November 5. However, this became known only now, when the human rights defender posted on his Facebook account a photo of his passport stamped by the Belarusian embassy.

Robert Hårdh last visited Belarus during the post-election events in December 2010. After the dispersal of the protest in Independence Square the human rights defender visited the office of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" just before the police raided the premises.

"Denied". The Belarusian authorities have yet again decided not to allow me to enter Belarus. My colleagues and I have not been able to visit the country since December 2010 due to our "subversive" work for human rights. I guess it means we are doing a good job…” Robert Hårdh wrote on his account on Facebook.

Unfortunately, the Belarusian authorities keep denying visas to persons who are not terrorists or criminals, but those who criticize the regime and may inform about the human rights situation in the country. Over the recent years, the authorities created a new “iron curtain” impenetrable for hundreds of public figures, politicians, journalists and human rights activists from around the world.