A Bulgarian journalist says he has been “ban” from Sunday’s Bafta film awards in London. Because he poses a security risk.
Christo Grozev, who appears in a Bafta-nominate documentary. About the poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, said he was “surprise” that he and his family had been ban.
“Moments like this show the growing hostility to independent journalism around the world,” Grozev wrote on Twitter.
Bafta said safety is a top priority.
However, not everyone associate with the Navalny film was remove from the event. Bafta has confirmed to the PA news agency that a number of producers will attend.
Mr. Grozev is the lead investigator for Bellingcat, a Russian investigative journalism group. Is know for helping to uncover an alleged plot to kill Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, along with neuroscientist Novichok.
In the film, Journalist Christo Grozev is show revealing data that obligates him to conspire to poison the Kremlin. Russia denies any involvement in the attack, which reportedly stuffed Navalny’s panties.
Mr Grozev wrote on Twitter that he had been “ban. By the British police” from attending the awards – although the Metropolitan Police said they had no authority to do so. It would be up to the organisers. However, the event organizers are give advice on security issues.
Mr. Grozev said he found out. That he his son were also uninvite when he received a message from someone at AZ24 News a few days ago. He told AZ24 News Radio 4’s Today program that they had tickets to the event. But the invitation was withdrawn on advice from British police.
The ban was motivate by “concerns for the safety. Security of the public,” but no further details were give about what the risks were.
But Mr Grozev added that in recent weeks he had received “numerous warnings from various law enforcement agencies across Europe that there is credible evidence that my life is in danger”.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement that ethnic intimidation of British journalists was “a matter of grave concern”.
She added that she understands that her security advice may mean that “organisers have to make difficult decisions in deciding how best to minimize any risk to the security of their event”.
Journalist Christo Grozev; In comments quoted by the PA news agency, Bafta said the safety of its visitors and staff was its highest priority, adding that it had “robust and appropriate security plans in place” each year.
