The award-winning documentary filmmaker Tom Heinemann was this morning refused a visa at the Indian Embassy in Copenhagen.
Last week the Indian Embassy stated that no journalist employed at Danish Broadcasting Service (DR) are welcome in India anymore. Still, an unnamed employee at the Indian Embassy said that all other journalists are still welcome.
But not Tom Heinemann. The reason may be that in 2005 he made the film "A Killer Bargain” on the working conditions at i.e. Danish companies in India.
The refusal also applies to his wife, Lotte la Cour, who is his regular television cameraman.
More importantly, however, is that the Indian embassy stamped three letters in both their passports - 'VAF'.
It stands for 'Visa Application Failed' and, according to Tom Heinemann, a stamp that makes his passport virtually useless in many of the countries he would like to visit.
"It's something you write in the passport of alleged terrorists and villains. I am persona non grata in India for life. It is what it means. And I have to switch passports, otherwise I can’t go into a lot of other countries, "says Heinemann.
He adds that he loves India and he and other friends in Denmark are paying for the education of four children of a common friend they have in India.
The family was one of those he wanted to visit this year on a tourist trip along with his wife.
Tom Heinemann has now informed the Danish ministry of foreign affairs that he again has been refused a visa - this time a tourist visa. He believes that the matter is fundamental for the freedom of the press.
In a comment, the chairman of the National Danish Union of Journalists, Mogens Blicher Bjerrregaard demands that the government immediately intervene:
“The Danish government must explain the Indian authorities that this is not how press freedom works”.
Last week the Indian Embassy stated that no journalist employed at Danish Broadcasting Service (DR) are welcome in India anymore. Still, an unnamed employee at the Indian Embassy said that all other journalists are still welcome.
But not Tom Heinemann. The reason may be that in 2005 he made the film "A Killer Bargain” on the working conditions at i.e. Danish companies in India.
The refusal also applies to his wife, Lotte la Cour, who is his regular television cameraman.
More importantly, however, is that the Indian embassy stamped three letters in both their passports - 'VAF'.
It stands for 'Visa Application Failed' and, according to Tom Heinemann, a stamp that makes his passport virtually useless in many of the countries he would like to visit.
"It's something you write in the passport of alleged terrorists and villains. I am persona non grata in India for life. It is what it means. And I have to switch passports, otherwise I can’t go into a lot of other countries, "says Heinemann.
He adds that he loves India and he and other friends in Denmark are paying for the education of four children of a common friend they have in India.
The family was one of those he wanted to visit this year on a tourist trip along with his wife.
Tom Heinemann has now informed the Danish ministry of foreign affairs that he again has been refused a visa - this time a tourist visa. He believes that the matter is fundamental for the freedom of the press.
In a comment, the chairman of the National Danish Union of Journalists, Mogens Blicher Bjerrregaard demands that the government immediately intervene:
“The Danish government must explain the Indian authorities that this is not how press freedom works”.
http://journalisten.dk/dj-formand-regeringen-m-stoppe-heinemann-censur
This news has been update in dailymail:
Danish filmmaker Tom Heinemann and his wife Lotte La Cour have been denied visas to India
Incredibly intolerant India: Controversial Danish filmmaker denied entry visa - even though he only wants to vacation here
In a move that smacks of an attempt to smother press freedom, the Indian government has banned journalists of the Danish public broadcaster from coming to India for making documentaries.
The Indian embassy in Denmark has been told to reject the visa applications of journalists working for Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) and others who may be connected with it.
This week the embassy denied visas to a freelance journalist couple who had earlier produced a documentary on India for the state-run corporation.
Journalist unions in Denmark have protested against the move saying it was an assault on the freedom of press. They want Danish authorities to take up the matter with the Indian government.
Chairman of the National Danish Union of Journalists, Mogens Blicher Bjerrregaard, said: 'The Danish government must explain to Indian authorities that this is not how press freedom works.'
Danish media quoted a DR spokesperson as saying: 'I don't know all the details. We are working with the foreign ministry, so I can't say too much. We are hopeful that a solution will be found.'
The Indian ambassador in Denmark, Ashok Kumar Attri, did not respond to e-mail queries from Mail Today on the issue.
Sources in the ministry of external affairs (MEA), however, clarified that the informal ban applied only to the state broadcaster and not all Danish journalists.
MEA officials explained the ground for imposing the ban thus: 'The stated purpose when DR journalists applied for a visa the last time was to make a documentary, but they ended up producing a reality show based on India. The series depicted all sorts of things, including life in our slums.'
The series, titled Blood, Sweat and T-shirts, focused on poor working-conditions in India's textile industry.
'There has been a breach of trust in the past. That's why they have been denied visas,' government sources said.
'We have liberal rules, but if someone brazenly violates visa conditions, we can't be expected to keep quiet.'
The latest instance that has caused an uproar in Danish press circles relates to award-winning documentary maker Tom Heinemann and his cameraperson-wife Lotte la Cour, who were denied visas on January 31.
The couple say they had applied for a tourist visa and had no plans to do any professional work.
'We are six people here in Denmark, who are paying for the education of four children in India. We were supposed to meet families who are our friends. We had also planned a visit to Goa to meet other friends,' Heinemann told Mail Today from Copenhagen.
Heinemann's passport has been stamped 'VAF', which he says means 'Visa Application Failed'. But Indian officials clarified that it stands for 'Visa Applied For' just to ensure that the person does not make a fresh application at any other Indian mission.
'The VAF stamp on our passports is like a label of Cain - a stamp saying "Visa Application Failed", which means there are several other countries that I will never be able to go to. It's like being labelled a terrorist. I am not a terrorist. I am just a journalist who wants to do his job,' an upset Heinemann said.
The documentary maker first ran into trouble with Indian authorities after his 2005 documentary A Killer Bargain, which showed how Danish and Swedish corporations were selling in India, pesticides banned in Europe and which had led to problems such as cancer in rural areas.
Heinemann has been denied the visa, even though he apologised to the Indian government for making the documentary while in the country on a tourist visa.
'This is not only a big problem for me and my camerawoman, but a general assault on the freedom of expression. Every journalist should protest against this,' the filmmaker said.
'The Indian authorities claim that India is the world's biggest democracy. When they can exclude prominent journalists, even groups of journalists, such as my colleagues at DR, it is against the basic tenets of democracy.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2096177/Tom-Heinemann-Controversial-Danish-filmmaker-denied-entry-visa-India.html
Danish filmmaker Tom Heinemann and his wife Lotte La Cour have been denied visas to India
Incredibly intolerant India: Controversial Danish filmmaker denied entry visa - even though he only wants to vacation here
In a move that smacks of an attempt to smother press freedom, the Indian government has banned journalists of the Danish public broadcaster from coming to India for making documentaries.
The Indian embassy in Denmark has been told to reject the visa applications of journalists working for Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) and others who may be connected with it.
This week the embassy denied visas to a freelance journalist couple who had earlier produced a documentary on India for the state-run corporation.
Journalist unions in Denmark have protested against the move saying it was an assault on the freedom of press. They want Danish authorities to take up the matter with the Indian government.
Chairman of the National Danish Union of Journalists, Mogens Blicher Bjerrregaard, said: 'The Danish government must explain to Indian authorities that this is not how press freedom works.'
Danish media quoted a DR spokesperson as saying: 'I don't know all the details. We are working with the foreign ministry, so I can't say too much. We are hopeful that a solution will be found.'
The Indian ambassador in Denmark, Ashok Kumar Attri, did not respond to e-mail queries from Mail Today on the issue.
Sources in the ministry of external affairs (MEA), however, clarified that the informal ban applied only to the state broadcaster and not all Danish journalists.
MEA officials explained the ground for imposing the ban thus: 'The stated purpose when DR journalists applied for a visa the last time was to make a documentary, but they ended up producing a reality show based on India. The series depicted all sorts of things, including life in our slums.'
The series, titled Blood, Sweat and T-shirts, focused on poor working-conditions in India's textile industry.
'There has been a breach of trust in the past. That's why they have been denied visas,' government sources said.
'We have liberal rules, but if someone brazenly violates visa conditions, we can't be expected to keep quiet.'
The latest instance that has caused an uproar in Danish press circles relates to award-winning documentary maker Tom Heinemann and his cameraperson-wife Lotte la Cour, who were denied visas on January 31.
The couple say they had applied for a tourist visa and had no plans to do any professional work.
'We are six people here in Denmark, who are paying for the education of four children in India. We were supposed to meet families who are our friends. We had also planned a visit to Goa to meet other friends,' Heinemann told Mail Today from Copenhagen.
Heinemann's passport has been stamped 'VAF', which he says means 'Visa Application Failed'. But Indian officials clarified that it stands for 'Visa Applied For' just to ensure that the person does not make a fresh application at any other Indian mission.
'The VAF stamp on our passports is like a label of Cain - a stamp saying "Visa Application Failed", which means there are several other countries that I will never be able to go to. It's like being labelled a terrorist. I am not a terrorist. I am just a journalist who wants to do his job,' an upset Heinemann said.
The documentary maker first ran into trouble with Indian authorities after his 2005 documentary A Killer Bargain, which showed how Danish and Swedish corporations were selling in India, pesticides banned in Europe and which had led to problems such as cancer in rural areas.
Heinemann has been denied the visa, even though he apologised to the Indian government for making the documentary while in the country on a tourist visa.
'This is not only a big problem for me and my camerawoman, but a general assault on the freedom of expression. Every journalist should protest against this,' the filmmaker said.
'The Indian authorities claim that India is the world's biggest democracy. When they can exclude prominent journalists, even groups of journalists, such as my colleagues at DR, it is against the basic tenets of democracy.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2096177/Tom-Heinemann-Controversial-Danish-filmmaker-denied-entry-visa-India.html
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