KIEV, May 19 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian Embassy in Kiev regards the systematic manhunt for Russian journalists by Ukrainian special forces as an infringement on the freedom of speech and calls for the immediate release of detained LifeNews journalists, the embassy said in a statement.
“Similar actions by the Ukrainian side run counter to the norms of international law that regulate the work of journalists within a foreign state, not to speak of Ukraine’s repeated claims about the absence of any kind of restrictions on foreign journalists in the country,” the statement said.
“Tyranny and purges of journalists and media in general is in fact an infringement on the freedom of speech – one of the most fundamental freedoms of the modern world. Sidyakin and Saichenko must be immediately released,” the statement added.
The Russian LifeNews channel earlier announced that two of its journalists, Oleg Sidyakin and Marat Saichenko, had been detained by the Ukrainian National Guard near the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk region on Sunday. News Media Holding, which owns LifeNews, has already requested the Russian Foreign Ministry assist in securing their release.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to take all necessary measures to free the journalists.
Russian reporters have come under increased pressure for their work in Ukraine. Crews of various Russian media channels and news agencies have been detained all across the country.
There have also been reports of attacks on journalists who have traveled to the region to cover ongoing protests, in addition to entry and accreditation bans.
