In the European Parliament, a proposal was made to issue emergency visas to Russians at risk
Anna Viktoriya Politkovskaya, the granddaughter of the murdered journalist Anna Politkovskaya, called on the European Union to create a mechanism of urgent humanitarian visas for individuals in Russia who are at risk of persecution and violence. The proposal covers journalists, activists, students, and other vulnerable people.
A proposal to issue fast-track visas to Russians at risk has been put forward in the European Parliament
According to DW, Anna Viktoriya Politkovskaya addressed MEPs on October 5 at an event in Strasbourg dedicated to the memory of her grandmother. This meeting was organized on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the murder of Anna Politkovskaya.
She said there must be a practical way for a person who has no chance of remaining safe in Russia to apply for help, receive a response within a short period of time, and leave for a safe place.
"Such a person should not have to prove their need for protection at the cost of their life," Politkovskaya said.
In her address, she cited the fate of her close friend Sasha, who grew up in the North Caucasus, as an example. According to Politkovskaya, Sasha faced negative attitudes from his family and those around him, and experienced sexual abuse at the age of 16.
Sasha saw no safe future for himself in Russia and wanted to leave the country. However, studying abroad required documents, funds, and university admission. To seek protection, he first had to reach a country where such help could be obtained.
According to Politkovskaya, her grandmother had once saved the life of Sasha's father. Later, when his son needed help, he could not get the necessary support. Sasha committed suicide.
"With your help, the next Sasha can survive," she addressed the deputies.
Mariana Katsarova, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Russian Federation, also spoke at the event. In her assessment, the repressions that Anna Politkovskaya covered in her materials about Chechnya have now spread to the whole of Russia.
Katsarova said that politically motivated persecution has become massive, and torture is widely and systematically used. She noted that government critics abroad are also facing pressure through criminal cases, in absentia sentences, financial restrictions, and individuals acting in the interests of the Russian authorities.
Kirill Martinov, editor-in-chief of "Novaya Gazeta Europe", called on Europe to increase aid to Ukraine. He stressed that there is a direct link between the war in Chechnya and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.