Moscow – The Russian Foreign Ministry has expressed concern over instances of limitations of press freedom and discrimination against journalists covering the events in Ukraine.
“We are expecting the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) representative for the freedom of the press to give a prompt and impartial assessment of these instances of violations of journalists’ rights and to ensure compliance with the relevant OSCE obligations by those currently in power in Kyiv,” the ministry’s department of information and press said in a commentary posted on the ministry’s website.
“The Russian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly drawn attention to the unacceptability of double standards and a selective approach in the assessment of the freedom of the press in Ukraine by international organizations, nongovernmental organizations and human-rights groups, which are turning a blind eye on such a manifestation of censure,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
“Media workers are subject to psychological pressure and violence in Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities,” the ministry said.
“A threat of physical elimination was sounded against Rossiya 24 television correspondent Artyom Kol, on whom a 10,000-hryvni bounty has been placed. In early March, Russian media websites covering the situation in Ukraine, was attacked by hackers. The same happened to the Russia Today television channel on March 2 and to the Rossiiskaya Gazeta newspaper on March 7,” the commentary said.
“On March 4 the television channels RTR-Planeta, Channel One Global Network and NTV-World vanished from the Ukrainian cable television network,” the ministry said.
“It is outrageous that Russian reporters are being barred from entering Ukraine under various pretexts. On March 6 Donetsk Airport denied entry to the VGTRK television crew – correspondent Veronika Bogma, cameraman Antuan Kechedzhiyan, assistant Vladimir Shumakov, and VGTRK employee Andrei Meshcheryakov,” the commentary said.
“On March 7 the Donetsk Airport deported a TV Center television crew – correspondent Mikhail Shekoyan, cameraman Maxim Pankin, and his assistant Anatoly Zanin. Entry was denied to the NTV television group – correspondent Garri Knyagnitsky, cameraman Sergei Koreshkov, sound operator Dmitry Anisimov, and Channel One cameramen Andrei Konik and Oleg Pudov,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
