Luke Harding

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Luke Daniel Harding (born 1968) is a British foreign correspondent working for The Guardian newspaper. He was the correspondent of The Guardian in Russia from 2007 until he was expelled from the country in 2011. The Guardian said his expulsion was linked with his critical articles on Russia,[1] while Russia's foreign ministry said that an extended certificate of foreign correspondence was not obtained in time.[2] After the reversal of the decision on February 9 and the granting of a short-term visa, Harding chose not to seek a further visa and returned to the UK.[1]

His 2011 book Mafia State discusses his experience in Russia and the political system under Vladimir Putin, which he describes as a mafia state.

Early life, education and career

Harding studied English at University College, Oxford. While there he edited the student newspaper Cherwell. He worked for the Sunday Correspondent, the Evening Argus in Brighton and then the Daily Mail before joining The Guardian in 1996.

He has lived in and reported from Delhi, Berlin and Moscow and has covered wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya.[3]

Plagiarism

In 2007, The Guardian apologized for material in an article by Harding that was "substantially similar" to another article published earlier that year in the eXile.[4]

Russian expulsion

In February 2011 Harding was refused re-entry into Russia. He became the first foreign journalist to be expelled from Russia since the end of the Cold War. The Guardian said his expulsion was linked with his unflattering coverage of Russia, including speculation about Vladimir Putin's wealth and Putin's knowledge of the London assassination of ex-Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.[1] The director of Index on Censorship, John Kampfner, said "The Russian government's treatment of Luke Harding is petty and vindictive, and evidence – if more was needed – of the poor state of free expression in that country."[5] Elsa Vidal, head of the European and Central Asia desk at the media freedom watchdog, said: "This is a serious and shocking step, unprecedented since the Cold War [...] It's an attempt to force correspondents working for foreign media in Moscow to engage in self-censorship."[6]

The expulsion preceded a visit to Britain by Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, which led to suggestions from Labour MP Chris Bryant that the British government might rescind Lavrov's invitation.[7] On 9 February Russia reversed the decision not to re-admit him[1] although it only granted him a short term visa. Harding chose not to seek a further visa and returned to the UK in February. Harding has said that during his time in Russia he was the subject of largely psychological harassment by the Federal Security Service, whom he alleges were unhappy at the stories he wrote.[8]

In an interview with the BBC during his visit to London in February 2011, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov responded to a question concerning Harding's entry to Russia as follows:

"I looked into the case of Luke Harding when William Hague called me. Indeed he had some problems with his stay in Russia in the past. He was visiting areas where he knew he must get a special permission to visit. He recognizes that this is something that he should have done differently. In spite of this, when he requested for his visa to be extended until May this year – so his kids could finish the school year. This was granted and he was issued an extended certificate of foreign correspondent, he did not pick it up, he urgently moved to London though this certificate was ready and if he wants to work in Russia he must just, you know, resolve this issue and get this certificate and we announced yesterday that there would be no problem with his coming here provided again that he wants to work in Russia. If he wants to discuss this issue endlessly through the media, this would be his choice. On, you know, this entire incident it’s a technical situation that must be resolved if he wants it to be resolved, we are ready for this. But when people say, I read some comments in the British media today – including in the Guardian – that the absence of this accreditation card is not the reason for not allowing to enter because he has a valid visa. I know for sure that UK legislation and Anglo-Saxon countries legislation in general, be it US, UK or Canada clearly states availability of a visa does not mean you can enter and the decision whether you can or not is always taken is always taken by the immigration officer who looks at your passport. So there is nothing unusual. Again, it is a technical matter. If he wants it to be resolved and if he wants to work in Russia as long as his visa allows, he’s welcome to do so." [2]

Harding is currently based at the Guardian's office in London.[9]

Works

  • Mafia State: How One Reporter Became An Enemy Of The Brutal New Russiaa, Random House (NY, September 22, 2011), ISBN 978-0-85265-247-3; Guardian Books (UK, September 29, 2011), ISBN 978-0-85265-247-3. An account of his experience in Russia and interactions with the FSB. The title comes from one of the American diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks.[11]
  • Libya: Murder in Benghazi and the Fall of Gaddafi (October 20, 2012), co-written with Martin Chulov. Short e-book, account of the moment of Gaddafi's capture and the current state of Libya.[12]

Notes and References

Notes

^a Published in the US as Expelled

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Russia U-turns over Guardian journalist's deportation, The Guardian
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Transcript of the Russian Foreign Minister S.Lavrov’s interview with the BBC, Moscow, February 9, 2011
  3. ↑ Luke Harding | The Guardian
  4. ↑ The richer they come ..., The Guardian
  5. ↑ Guardian's Moscow correspondent expelled from Russia, The Guardian
  6. ↑ Russia expels U.K. reporter Luke Harding, who covered corruption, The Washington Post
  7. ↑ Call to halt Russian foreign minister's visit after Guardian journalist expelled, The Guardian
  8. ↑ Luke Harding (23 September 2011). "Enemy of the state". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 September 2011. 
  9. ↑ "Luke Harding". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-06-06. 
  10. ↑ Deadline, The. (2013-05-20) DreamWorks' 'Fifth Estate' Release Date Shifts Month; 'Delivery Man' Moved To Nov.. Deadline.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  11. ↑ Mafia State by Luke Harding - review, The Guardian
  12. ↑ guardianshorts, Libya: Murder in Benghazi and the Fall of Gaddafi

External links

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