UK denies business visa to Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei
British government denied UK business visa to Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, claiming he has been convicted of a crime and that he lied on his visa application by not declaring it.
Ai Weiwei is known for his irreverent political statements and ingenious public protests, and served Chinese Fake Cultural Development Company, which was hit with a tax evasion case in 2011.
Nevertheless, and although Weiwei was abducted and detained by Chinese security agents, he was never charged or convicted for crime in the country. He was believed to have been punished by the Chinese government due to one of its most famous critics.
UK granted him a 20-day entry visa instead of the six-month business busy he requested, in a move to avoid him being in the country in October, when Chinese president Xi Jinping is due to travel to the UK on a state visit.
WeiWei was scheduled to be in the UK in September on occasion of a big exhibition at London's Royal Academy of Arts.
The Asian artist posted the letter he received from the UK Home Office on his Instagram account.
“All applications are considered on their individual merits and in line with the relevant legislation. Mr Ai has been granted a visa for the full duration of his requested dates of travel,” the UK Home Office said.
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