Russia: entry bans, visa restrictions and bureau closures for foreign correspondents

Over several months in 2022, Russian authorities closed a Canadian broadcaster's Moscow bureau, barred dozens of named British and Australian journalists from entering the country, and suspended simplified visa rules for European journalists.¹²³⁴

Country

Russia (RSF 2026 rank: 172nd of 180)

Where

Russia

Level of government

National

Tactic

Access bans

Stage

Punish (see the ladder)

Ladder note

Dozens of named foreign correspondents were barred from entering the country by law and by sanction, not merely excluded from one building or briefing.

Head of government at the time

Vladimir Putin

Issue of the day

Russia's actions followed Western governments' sanctions on Russian state broadcasters and officials after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Outcome

Sustained, June 16, 2022. The bans on named British and Australian journalists and the suspension of simplified visas for European journalists remained in effect through 2022 according to the source reviewed.

Era

The 2020s

What happened

Across the spring of 2022, Russian authorities took a series of steps to keep foreign journalists out of the country. On May 18, Russian authorities moved to close CBC/Radio-Canada's Moscow bureau and cancel the visa and accreditation of its journalists, matching Canada's decision to bar Russian state television. On June 14, Russia barred 49 British citizens, including 29 named journalists, from entering the country. Two days later, it barred 121 Australians, including journalists from ABC News, the Sydney Morning Herald, Nine News and Sky News. Separately, President Vladimir Putin signed a law suspending simplified visa procedures for several categories of visitors, including journalists, coming from most European countries. Russian officials framed each step as a response matching measures taken by the country concerned against Russian state media or officials, rather than as a general press policy.¹²³⁴

The entry bans and visa restrictions remained in force through 2022 with no indication of reversal in the source reviewed.¹²³⁴

What reason was given

Russian officials presented the entry bans on British and Australian journalists as a response matching measures the United Kingdom and Australia had taken against Russian journalists and officials; a specific legal justification beyond that framing was not detailed in the source reviewed.¹²³⁴

What changed for reporting

Named journalists from CBC, the BBC, the Sydney Morning Herald and other outlets lost the ability to report from inside Russia in person, and foreign outlets lost simplified visa access for future correspondents.¹

Timeline

Who acted

Outlets and journalists

Sources

• Russia-Ukraine war press freedom watchCommittee to Protect Journalists, 2022-03-11, reporting. Source record