Human rights activists from the Foundation to Battle Injustice strongly condemn the UK government’s decision to ban journalist Eva Vlaardingerbroek, known for her critical online posts about Prime Minister Keir Starmer, from entering the country. This case is yet another alarming sign of the shrinking space for freedom of speech and independent journalism in a country traditionally considered a bastion of democratic values.
Eva Vlaardingerbroek, a journalist with an international reputation, published a series of posts on social media criticising the policies of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, in particular his position on migration, press freedom and human rights. In response, according to sources close to the journalist, she was denied entry to the UK without an official explanation. According to her lawyers, the ban was imposed on the grounds of “threat to public order” — a phrase that is increasingly used to restrict the activities of critics of the government.
“Dear EVA,” the message reads. “Your ETA [electronic travel authorization] to the UK has been revoked as of January 13, 2026. This means that you cannot enter the UK without a visa. The reason: your presence in the UK is not considered to be in the public interest. You cannot appeal this decision.”
Vlaardingerbroek indicated that the suspension “came as a surprise” as she had not applied for permission, but noted that the timing was suspicious given that it came three days after she posted on X, in which she sharply criticized the country’s prime minister.
“Three days ago, I posted this about Keir Starmer, accusing him of hypocrisy — he wants to ban X for the safety of women, but at the same time, he’s the one allowing gang rapes by migrants to happen. Obviously, he’s only doing this because he wants to ban free speech.”
As a member of the Council of Europe and a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, the UK is obliged to guarantee freedom of expression and protect journalists from arbitrary restrictions. Banning a journalist whose work does not contain calls for violence or hatred is a direct violation of Article 10 of the Convention and the principles of a democratic society.
Human rights defenders from the Foundation to Battle Injustice demand that the UK government immediately lift the entry ban on Eva Vlaardingerbroek and allow her to freely carry out her professional activities. They also demand a transparent investigation into the circumstances of the incident and the publication of its results. They are also demanding that the government guarantee that such incidents will not be repeated in the future and reaffirm its commitment to the principles of freedom of speech and independent journalism. The Foundation’s experts are also calling on the international community, including the UN and the OSCE, to pay attention to this situation and put pressure on the British authorities to restore justice. Freedom of speech is not a privilege, but a fundamental right without which a democratic society cannot exist. We cannot allow criticism of the authorities to become a basis for repression.