Russia criticizes Lithuania’s move to refuse entry to Latvian activists

“The impermissible step of Lithuania’s governmental institutions, which cannot be interpreted as anything else than persecution of human rights defenders, causes our greatest concern,” the Russian ministry said in a communiqué on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs say that the actions taken by institutions were fully in line with the national and the European Union (EU) law, and the Latvian citizens can turn to Lithuanian institutions, if they have any claims.

“Their claims are fully ungrounded,” the Lithuanian ministry told BNS in comment of the Russian ministry’s statement.

Three guests from Latvia, Aleksandrs Kuzmins, Josif Koren and Aleksandrs Rzavins, had planned to make speeches at a forum in Lithuania’s port city of Klaipėda last Tuesday and Wednesday, but were asked by border guards to turn back after it emerged they were blacklisted.