Decision of Russian Authorities is Politically Motivated: S.Grigoryan on Denial of His Entry to Russia
Stepan Grigoryan, head of the Centre for Globalization and Regional Cooperation, alerts on illegality of banning his entry to Russian Federation. In particular, Stepan Grigoryan mentioned in the statement issues by him that on August 30 at 8am he had arrived at Moscow’s Sheremetevo airport to visit the grave of his father Gevorg Grigoryan in Russian Federation, for which he had 10 hours, as he was to return to Yerevan overnight.
However, according to Grigoryan, he couldn’t enter Russian Federation, as he was arrested by Russian frontiers, and as it became known, his entry to RF is banned until 2030, on which Russian frontiers informed him.
“The paper I received from the bodyguards contained references to the Russian law’s provision, where various criminal offenses by foreigners were mentioned. I have nothing to do with that, since I have not been involved in any activity in Russia in the last 20 years.
In my case, only cause 9 from Article 26 of this law was important – on deportation of foreign citizens who are involved in international organizations’ activities that are not welcome in Russia’s territory. Everybody knows that the Centre for Globalization and Regional Cooperation headed by him intensively cooperates with European nongovernmental organizations, centers for analyses and various democratic funds and the initiatives supported by them.
Besides, he said, we don’t hide that we see the future of Armenian people in the European fold that is guided by democratic values. It is obvious that the Russian authorities’ decision was politically motivated. It is known that Russia wants to suppress civil society institutions’ activities also in Armenia. On the same day I was deported to Armenia, but it has become clear later from the Russian Federal Migration Service’s website, that he has a right for entering Russia,” Stepan Grigoryan said.
Stepan Grigoryan expresses his discontent on illegality against him, and said he appealed to the Armenian foreign ministry on August 30 asking it to protect his rights and will be waiting for the reply for a few days. After that he will take his own steps to protect his rights.
By Araks Martirosyan
