Human rights activist engaged in Chechen problems was forbidden to visit Russia

The Observatory, an international human rights organization, has expressed its protest against illegal detention and expulsion from Russia of Anna-Mari Gelen, an activist of the human rights NGO Pax Christi International, who is known for her work on the problems of Chechnya.

In its address to the Russian authorities disseminated on November 5, 2007, The Observatory informs that on October 28, the activist of Pax Christi International from Holland Anna-Mari Gelen was detained at the Domodedovo Airport, where she had arrived from Brussels to take part in the roundtable on the freedoms of press and speech in Russia.

Despite a valid visa in her passport, Anna-Mari Gelen was informed during her passport control that her entrance to the Russian Federation had been forbidden and she would be sent back to Brussels. The nearest flight to Brussels was only 24 hours after the moment of detention of the human rights activist, and all this time Ms Gelen who is now in her third month of pregnancy was forced to spend in a closed room at the Airport under guard, having received no official explanations about her detention and a long-term ban on entrance to the Russian Federation.

In connection with this accident, The Observatory is appealing to the international covenants and declarations in the area of human rights ratified by Russia and demands from the authorities of Russia, by addressing first of all the RF's President Vladimir Putin, to stop oppressions against Anna-Mari Gelen and other foreign human rights activist who work on Russia.