OSCE Urges Ukraine to Free Russian Journalists

OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media Dunja Mijatovic. Photo by OSCE.org

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has called on Ukraine to release two Russian reporters who were detained on Sunday.

The OSCE's representative on freedom of the media, Dunja Mijatovic, has urged Ukraine's Interior Minister Arsen Avakov to release the Russian reporters who were captured on Sunday, ITAR-TASS reported.

Oleg Sidyakin and Marat Saichenko of LifeNews were detained in Kramatorsk, northern Donetsk. According to Mijatovic, several other Russian journalists have been denied entry into Ukraine to cover the upcoming presidential elections, on May 25.

"Journalists must be free to do their job without fear for their safety. All political leaders engaged in resolving the crisis in Ukraine need to clearly understand that violations of media freedom are unacceptable", Mijatovic wrote in a statement.

According to Russian media sources, the two detained reporters had entered Ukraine legally and were accredited to cover events there.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has condemned the actions of the Ukrainian authorities.

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