MOSCOW, January 14 (RAPSI) – American journalist David Satter expelled from Russia for violating immigration procedures can appeal the ruling in court, a department head with the Federal Migration Service Dmirty Demidenko said on Wednesday.

Satter is a former Financial Times correspondent and author of several books on Russia and the Soviet Union. He had been working in Moscow since last September. In December he flew to Kiev to renew his visa, but was told on Christmas Day by an embassy official in Kiev that his visa application had been denied, The Guardian reported.

According to the court spokesperson, US citizen Satter committed an administrative offense by breaching the rules of entering and residing in the country. “He was ordered to pay a fine of 5,000 rubles ($150) to the state and independently leave the country under supervision. He was informed that he had to leave Russia within five days of the court order taking effect. The resolution was made on November 29 last year.”

The spokesperson added that the journalist did not appeal against the court order.

Satter, who has regularly visited Russia since 1969, had held his current position in Moscow as a Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty adviser since September. He had also been reporting and providing commentary to the outlet's Russian service.