MOSCOW, May 19 (RIA Novosti) – The extremist actions of Kiev’s authorities in detaining and abducting journalists is dangerous for both local citizens and foreigners, Irina Yarovaya, head of Russian parliament’s security and anti-corruption committee, told journalists Monday.
“Unlawful actions against journalists, their detentions and abductions – such manner is typical for radical bandits and terrorists,” Yarovaya said, commenting on the recent detention of a Russian LifeNews channel crew by Ukrainian troops in Kramatorsk.
According to the Russian lawmaker, the case is outrageous and “proves the extremist nature of actions of the self-proclaimed Kiev’s authorities and the potential danger not only for the citizens of Ukraine but also for other countries”.
“It is evident that the number of facts indicating the criminality of the Kiev junta’s actions have surpassed the critical limit a long time ago and cannot remain unnoticed by the international community,” Yarovaya said.
On Sunday, the Russian LifeNews channel 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. 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. The Russian Embassy in Kiev called the systematic manhunt for Russian journalists by Ukrainian special forces an infringement on the freedom of speech and called for the immediate release of the detained LifeNews reporters.
Russian journalists 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 reporters who have traveled to the region to cover ongoing protests, in addition to entry and accreditation bans.
