No journalists from what Moscow deems "unfriendly countries" will be allowed to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Russian state-controlled Tass news agency on June 3.
The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum was created in 1997 to promote Russia's economic achievements to global investors. This is the first time Western journalists have been prohibited from entering the forum.
"It has indeed been decided this time not to accredit publications from unfriendly countries to the SPIEF," Peskov said, adding that "all other journalists will be working on the platform."
Officials from the forum informed the Reuters Moscow bureau that press accreditation for the event had been cancelled despite confirmation of accreditation on June 1, Reuters reported on June 3.
Few Western journalists still report from Russia due to highly restrictive and punitive laws on media freedoms. In March 2023, Russia arrested Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich on charges of espionage, making him the first American journalist detained in Russia on such charges since the Cold War.
The forum is set to take place between June 14 and June 17.
Alexander Khrebet
