The U.S. Embassy in Albania has shared a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing a new visa restriction policy targeting foreign individuals and officials who have contributed to suppressing the freedom of expression of American citizens, reports Rks News.
“American citizens have been fined, harassed, and even sued by foreign authorities for exercising their right to freedom of speech,” the statement reads. Rubio emphasized that this policy will apply to those who are “co-responsible for censoring Americans.”
“Freedom of speech is essential to the American way of life an inherent right over which foreign governments have no authority,” he said, adding that individuals who act against the freedoms of American citizens should not have the right to travel to the U.S.
Rubio warned that this new approach will have a global reach: “Whether in Latin America, Europe, or elsewhere the days of passive treatment toward those who act against Americans’ freedoms are over.”
