The Caucasus Editor and Project Manager for the London-based Institute of War & Peace Reporting (IWPR) has been denied an entry visa to Russia. Although de Waal’s visit was to launch the Russian language version of his book on the Karabakh conflict, Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan Through Peace and War, the journalist believes that his often critical coverage of Russia’s war in Chechnya was behind the refusal.

De Waal, a former Moscow Times reporter and co-author of a book about the first Chechen war, was planning to come to Russia at the invitation of the Union of Journalists to attend the presentation of a Russian version of his new book on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

But the Federal Migration Service turned down his request for a visa, he said.

In a letter refusing his application, the agency cited a 1996 law that says a visa could be refused “with the aim of securing state security,” he said.

[…]

“This clearly must be because of the other main thing that I write about, that is. Chechnya,” de Waal said by telephone from London.

De Waal said he believed he had offended Russian authorities by appearing as an expert witness for the defense at the extradition trial of Chechen rebel envoy Akhmed Zakayev in London.

Incidently, I accompanied de Waal in Karabakh for much of the research for his book on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, and we also worked together on a story for the Los Angeles Times. Tom’s article, accompanied by my photographs, is unfortunately available to subscribers only. However, the text is available here.

There’s also an interview I conducted with de Waal on his book on Nagorno Karabakh here, as well as on the last attempt to find a peaceful solution to the conflict here. The first edition of the book featured some of my photos, and I’m told the Russian version does also.