Russia has placed a British reporter for the Guardian newspaper on a list of people who are banned from entering the country, state news agency RIA cited an unidentified law enforcement source as saying today.
Guardian correspondent Luke Harding was refused entry at passport control in Moscow this weekend, had his visa annulled and was put on a plane back to Britain, his newspaper said.
"Harding was not given entry to Russian territory on the demand of one Russian structure," the unidentified source told RIA, adding that he was now on a list of people whose presence in Russia was deemed undesirable. No reason was given.
The Guardian said Harding may have been expelled for reporting on leaked US diplomatic cables that contained unflattering descriptions of the Russia's leadership, though Harding was not alone in reporting on those cables.
Reuters