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Putin in Talks With Poroshenko Demanded to Free Arrested Journalists

KIEV (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko agreed Saturday that ombudsmen from both countries would visit prisoners in the near future, Poroshenko's press service said.
Sputnik

"It has been agreed that in the near future, the ombudsmen of the two countries will visit detained citizens," the statement read.

According to the Kremlin press release, Vladimir Putin has called for the immediate release of the Russian journalists arrested by Kiev.

"A special attention was paid to the humanitarian issues, including the swap of those detained. Vladimir Putin stressed the need for the immediate release of the Russian journalists arrested in Ukraine," the press release read.

Earlier in the day, the two presidents had a phone conversation.

READ MORE: Ukrainian Sushchenko's Defense Says Exchange for Journalist Vyshinsky Possible

On May 15, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) broke into the office of RIA Novosti Ukraine in Kiev. Vyshinsky was detained on charges of treason the same day. The SBU also accused him of supporting the self-proclaimed people's republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine's southeast. 

Ukraine's Security Service Confirms Questioning Russian Journalist Vysokovich
Two days later, a court in the Ukrainian city of Kherson ruled to arrest Vyshinsky. During the hearings, Vyshinsky asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to do his utmost to secure his speedy release and asked Poroshenko to have his Ukrainian citizenship renounced.

Sputnik International Information Agency Director General Dmitry Kiselev has demanded that the Ukrainian authorities free Vyshinsky immediately and end their persecution of media.  The Russian Foreign Ministry classified Kiev's actions against RIA Novosti Ukraine as an "outrage." 

READ MORE: IFJ, EFJ Condemn Kiev's 'Intimidation Campaign' Against Journalists

The situation with Vyshinsky's detention has also drawn the attention of international organizations. Harlem Desir, the representative on media freedom of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), has expressed his concern over the SBU's actions and pledged to follow the developments surrounding Vyshinsky's arrest.

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