The Working Group on Migration of the Civil Society Forum invites you to join the presentation and discussion of Amnesty International’s new report “Europe: Closing the door? How visa policies in Europe’s Schengen area fail human rights defenders.”

Many human rights defenders worldwide face visa refusals, excessive documentation demands and long delays in the Schengen visa process. These barriers prevent many HRDs from taking part in international meetings and conferences where crucial decisions are made.

At this session, we’ll explore the key findings of the report on the Schengen visa system and the challenges faced by human rights defenders from Russia and other countries. The report also calls for simpler visa procedures and more long-term, multiple-entry visas for HRDs. Discussion will be held in Russian and English, with simultaneous interpretation.