Ukraine is taking all measures to free Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva who is illegally held in Syria, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has said.
“Ukraine again expresses its deep concern over the situation around
Anhar Kochneva who is illegally held in Syria by a group, which calls
itself a division of the Free Syrian Army. The Ukrainian side is taking
all measures to release the Ukrainian woman both at the state level,
including in cooperation with its international partners, and with the
involvement of public and religious organizations,” the ministry said in
a statement.
The ministry said: “Ukraine warns individuals and groups who are
holding Kochneva that if they use the methods of physical or other
influence against her, which hurt her health or life, an inevitable
consequence for all those involved in such actions will be their full
responsibility for committing this crime.”
As reported, the kidnappers of Ukrainian journalist Anhar Kochneva
threatened to kill her on Thursday, December 13, if their demands for a
$50 million ransom are not met, Britain’s Guardian newspaper reported on
Wednesday.
In a video, released on November 28, she made a short statement in
Arabic, in which she says that her reason for being in Syria was to act
as a translator for “Russian intelligence.” European journalists’
organisations, including the Russian Union of Journalists, believe she
was pressured to read that text.
On November 8, a video with the kidnapped journalist was posted on
the Web site of the Free Syrian Army. In the video that lasts 15
seconds, she said in Arabic: “My name is Anhar. I’m located in Homs now,
and I urge the Ukrainian and the Russian Embassy, and also the Syrian
government, to fulfill the kidnappers’ demands.”
