By Madeline Schiesser
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
MOSCOW, Russia – U.S. Representative Chris Smith, a leading congressional human-rights advocate, was denied a visa to travel to Russia last week by authorities in Moscow. Smith believes the denial is in retaliation for the recently passed U.S. Magnitsky Act, which imposes sanctions and visa bans on Russian officials believed involved in human rights violations.
Russia has never before denied Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on human rights, a visa. Smith says “The Magnitsky bill is the reason I didn’t get the visa. This is the first time. I was shocked. During the worst days of the Soviet Union I went there repeatedly.” Smith vocally backed and voted in favor of the bill, as did 364 other members of the House. Russia is now among a short list of countries, including China, Cuba, and Belarus, to deny Smith, a veteran of the House since 1981, a visa.
No official reason has been given for refusing the visa and the Russian Embassy in Washington has refused to comment on visa issues. However, Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak told Smith that the decision was made in Moscow, not Washington.
Although the State Department, including U.S. Ambassador to Russia Mike McFaul, attempted to intercede on Smith’s behalf, Moscow was not swayed.
The purpose of Smith’s visit was to discuss the frosty relations between Russia and the United States since the passage of the Magnitsky Act, particularly Russia’s reply, the Dima Yakovlev Law. This law, passed shortly before the end of last year, ended U.S. adoption of Russian orphans (citing concerns American parents abuse Russian children) and reciprocal sanctions including visa bans and asset freezes for alleged U.S. human rights violators.
“I even have a resolution that highlights the fact that those 19 kids died. If somebody is responsible for this, they ought to pay a price,” Smith lamented. “I was going over to talk about adoption and human trafficking. They have legitimate concerns that we have to meet.”
Russian authorities were incensed when U.S. President Barack Obama signed the Magnitsky Act into law in December, and considered the Act, labeling certain Russian officials as connected to human rights abuses, as meddling in Russian domestic affairs. By mid-April, the Obama administration is required to submit a list of Russian officials to be blacklisted, which could further heighten tensions between the countries.
Valery Garbuzov, the deputy director of the Institute for U.S. and Canadian Studies in Moscow, has warned that Smith’s visa denial may be the first volley in an extended visa war. He further cautioned that the nations’ top leaders need to take actions to halt such a visa war. “President Obama cannot cancel the Magnitsky Act, so relations will have to be built on these premises,” he said. “At the same time, the Russian response was excessive, which made the situation snowball.”
MP Alexei Pushkov, head of the State Duma’s International Affairs Committee, said whether U.S. officials receive visas is dependent upon the United States, and noted that the sponsors of the Magnitsky Act will not be allowed to travel to Russia, in the “spirit” of the Dima Yakovlv law. “We were not the initiators of this process,” he said. “In every country, restrictions can be put in place for certain categories of people based on the spirit of existing legislation.”
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov declared in January that Russia has a “Guantanamo list” of 71 U.S. nationals who are barred from entering Russia due to human rights violations.
Smith, however, is determined to keep a dialogue open with Russia, and plans to continue to push for the visa. “I was going over to talk about adoption and human trafficking,” Smith said. “They have legitimate concerns that we have to meet. I’m disappointed but I am determined to have it reversed. So I’m going to reapply.”
For further information, please see:
Moscow Times – U.S. Lawmaker Says Russia Denied Him Visa – 28 March 2013
RIA Novosti – US Official Denied Russian Visa, Cites Magnitsky Row: Report – 28 February 2013
RT – We Did Not Initiate the Visa Row With US – Russian Lawmaker – 28 February 2013
The Cable – Russia Denies Visa for Leading Congressional Human-Rights Advocate – 27 February 2013
