French writer and journalist Anne Nivat will be allowed to return to the country after being expelled over problems with her visa as the decision to do so was out of proportion, the head of the Federal Migration Service said Thursday.
"I studied the case and concluded that the decision … was groundlessly harsh. I believe that the decision to shorten her stay will be cancelled," Konstantin Romodanovsky told reporters.
He added that Nivat could return immediately. "Your colleague can already now, in principle, enter the Russian Federation."
Nivat was detained and had her visa canceled last week while researching a book in Vladimir, east of Moscow. The official reason given was that she was doing journalistic work while in the country on a business visa.
Migration service officials told her that she was "speaking with the opposition" instead of doing business. Nivat had been interviewing politicians, including opposition party members, in Vladimir and in the northwestern region of Karelia.
She left the country Sunday.
But in a sign that her treatment was not approved by everybody in Moscow, the head of the migration service in the Vladimir region was fired Tuesday.
Romodanovsky said he had relieved the official of his duties because he had made the wrong decision. An internal investigation into the case is ongoing.
Nivat, a former correspondent for the Liberation newspaper who wrote an acclaimed book on Chechnya in 2000, said she suspects the decision was linked to authorities' nervousness in the run-up to the March 4 presidential election.
She wrote on Facebook that she viewed the decision with caution. "The moment of truth will be when I will reapply for a visa," she said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
