US LGBTQ poet and activist barred from Belarus

Alok Vaid-Menon, an Indian American performance artist, poet, and LGBTQ rights activist, was not allowed to enter Belarus, after arriving at the Minsk international airport last evening, RFE/RL Belarus service said.

The ban refers to Article 30 of the Law on the legal status of foreign citizens and stateless persons. The exact reason for the decision is not reported, while possible grounds include “threats to national security, public safety, protection of morals, public health or freedoms of citizens and other persons.”

According to Belarusian LGBTQ rights activist Vika Biran, the US embassy in Minsk refused to intervene, saying that “the case looks legitimate.” The reporters, however, failed to confirm the information in the embassy.

Alok Vaid-Menon was expected to speak at a closed LGBTQ event in Minsk.