Russian-American journalist Masha Gessen has received a visa to enter Australia and speak at upcoming events, following initial complications caused by criminal charges filed against them in absentia.
Gessen, a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was scheduled to speak at the Wheeler Centre and the Festival of Dangerous Ideas last weekend. However, their visa application was delayed when the Australian Department of Home Affairs requested police clearance from Russia—documents that Gessen could not provide. The department also sought checks from the United States, where Gessen has no criminal record.
The delays led Gessen to believe they were being effectively barred from entering Australia as part of an effort by Russia to silence them. Speaking to ABC Radio on Tuesday, Gessen confirmed that their visa had now been granted, though they were uncertain about the precise timing of their arrival.
“I was taken aback by the delays,” Gessen said. “The charges and sentences imposed in Russia are intended to restrict my movement and intimidate me.” Gessen explained that while their visa application was pending, they were tried in absentia and sentenced to eight years in prison by a Russian court for reporting on Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Gessen is among about 250 individuals charged under new laws introduced following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Despite the difficulties, Gessen noted that they had not anticipated such obstacles in Australia, believing these issues would arise primarily in countries with extradition agreements with Russia or those considered Russian allies.
The Department of Home Affairs declined to comment on the specifics of the case.
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