**France Rejects Russia’s Claims on Visa Denials for Journalists**
France has firmly rejected Russia’s assertion that its refusal to issue visas to Russian journalists is a reciprocal action. The Kremlin had characterized France’s denial of visas to two Russian journalists as discriminatory. However, a spokesperson for the French foreign ministry stated that France would reassess the accreditation rights for legitimate Russian journalists in the country, particularly following Russia’s decision not to renew the accreditation of Le Monde’s Moscow correspondent.
Moscow indicated that journalist Benjamin Quenelle’s accreditation was not renewed after France denied a visa to a Russian reporter. The French foreign ministry spokesperson emphasized that this situation represents yet another barrier to press freedom, especially at a time when the working conditions for journalists in Russia—both local and foreign—are already severely compromised and press freedom is not upheld.
