Poland has revoked visas issued to Russian public‑organization representatives attending the OSCE Warsaw Human Rights Conference, prompting outrage from Russian spokesperson Maria Zacharowa on October 6.
Revocation of Russian Visas by Polish Embassy
By the end of October, the OSCE Warsaw Human Rights Conference was underway, featuring debates on the rule of law, humanitarian issues, and press freedom. Just before the conference began, the Russian Public Institute of Electoral Law announced that the Polish Embassy in Russia had cancelled the visas of its representatives, sending the cancellation notice the last working day before the conference without explanation or justification.
Zacharowa’s Fury Over “Knocking from Below”
On October 6, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zacharowa responded: the visas were also to be cancelled for another organization. She called the action “another scandalous abuse by Polish authorities against Russian public‑organization representatives”, quoting a Polish satirist, “when we thought Poland had hit rock bottom, the knocking from below echoed again.”
Foreign Ministry Confirms Verification of Russian Citizens
On the same day, Gazeta.pl asked the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment, which replied on October 16: “Following verification of the list of Russian Federation citizens registered as participants of the OSCE Warsaw Human Rights Conference, we identified a group of representatives from organisations supported by the Russian Federation government and created to serve its political interests, including those supporting the ongoing aggression towards Ukraine through disinformation.” “Among these individuals, five possessed valid humanitarian visas.” “In light of new circumstances, pursuant to Article 34(2) of the European Communities Visa Code, we decided to revoke the issued visas.”
Security Reasons for Visa Revocation
The ministry explained that the decision to cancel the visas was primarily driven by security concerns. Humanitarian visas are issued for humanitarian reasons; if the holder engages in activities contrary to Poland’s interests, the right of entry is withdrawn. Poland cannot allow such entities to spread disinformation. The conference will host numerous representatives of Russian civil society, including NGOs. Citizens affected by the revocation have the right to appeal or file a complaint to an administrative court.
