SILBA Election Observer Denied visa to Armenia despite official accreditation

SILBAs International Project Manager, Jakob Knudsen was Saturday 16th of February denied visa and access to Armenia on the Georgian-Armenian border, despite having just been issued official accreditation as Election Observer by the Central Election Committee of Armenia.

SILBA send 4 Danish SILBA Observers to observer the Presidential Election in Armenia, held Tuesday 19th of February 2008. Official Accrediation was optained in advance from The Central Election Committee, via the Armenian NGO FYCA (Federation of Youth Clubs of Armenia), who are organising the observation mission.

SILBAs 4 observers travelled to and met up in Tbilisi, Georgia and travelled to the Georgian-Armenian border. On the border, Vivian Heinola-Nielsen, got her visa as the first of the four, without any problems. But as Jakob Knudsens passport was run through the computer, a senior officer was called immidiately and the window closed. We can not give you a visa, the senior officer said, there is a problem with your passport... upon Jakob Knudsens reply: would that be my Belarusian problem... the senior officer laughed saying ... well, I dont know, do I... and smiled, showing that this indeed was the case.

After refusing visa to Jakob Knudsen, the two other Danish observers, Morten Hagbard Madsen and Jonas Kjaergaard Jepsen was given their visas without problems. This indicates that the Armenian borderpolice was not trying to stop international observers from observing the election, the denial of visa was only caused by Jakob Knudsen being black listed by Russian FSB and Belarusian KGB, and off course and however showes the close cooperation of the Armenian Police with these foreign intelligence entities. Getting entry to Georgia, who are more or less in war with Russia, in the (Russian supported) breakaway Georgian Abkhazia region, was off course not a problem.

The three Danish observers crossed the border and continued to Yerevan joining the FYCA observation seminar and Election Observation mission. Jakob Knudsen returned to Tbilisi, Georgia, using the newfound time, to meet up with Georgian NGOs planning future cooperation and joint projects.

Jakob Knudsen is now the second Danish citizen being black listed (Persona Non Gratae) in all three countries, Russia, Belarus and Armenia. The newpaper of Politikens journalist Vibeke Sperling, travelling with a large Danish group organised by The Danish Foreign Policy Society, was stopped from leaving from Yerevan Airport last year, as she was already black listed in Russia and Belarus. The large group of Danes however made a sit down strike in the airport refusing to leave without her, which made the Armenian Police allow her to get on her plane...