MOSCOW, May 19 (RIA Novosti) – The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe sent a letter on Monday to acting Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov demanding the release of two Russian LifeNews journalists who were detained by Ukraine’s National Guard.
The two reporters, Oleg Sidyakin and Marat Saichenko, were detained by the National Guard of Ukraine near the city of Kramatorsk. News Media Holding, which owns LifeNews, has asked Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to help secure the release of the detained journalists.
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović has condemned the continued harassment of journalists covering the conflict in Ukraine.
“In a letter to Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Arsen Avakov, Mijatović expressed her concern and asked the authorities to release the journalists and thoroughly investigate the case,” the OSCE said in a statement.
Mijatović said journalists covering the Ukraine crisis are “convenient targets of the conflicting sides.”
“I reiterate my call to all sides to stop intimidating and threatening members of the media and to let them do their jobs,” she said.
Last week, Russian journalists from various media, including Zvezda, NTV, Perviy Kanal and TVC channels, were denied entry to Ukraine. All of them had been reportedly accredited by Ukrainian authorities to cover the presidential election.
“Journalists must be free to do their job without fear for their safety. In times of conflict the plurality of voices and opinions are needed more than ever in order for the citizens to be informed,” Mijatović said.
She added that all political leaders engaged in resolving the crisis in Ukraine “need to clearly understand that violations of media freedom are unacceptable,” adding that the media freedom situation in Ukraine reflects the overall security situation, which “will not improve if there is no action.”
Over the past two months, reporters of Russia’s leading channels have been kidnapped, beaten, threatened and denied access to Ukraine. Broadcasting of Russian media has also been banned across the country.
Moscow has repeatedly called on the international community to condemn Ukraine’s violations of media freedom and violence against journalists in the country.
