The Public Chamber commission for communications, information policy and freedom of speech insists on a thorough analysis of the detention of a Russia Today (RT) crew in the United States and urges U.S. colleagues not to overlook the incident.
"The incident runs counter to all rules of the work of journalists and is perplexing. We are apprehensive of any attempts to obstruct the work of journalists covering important social events," a Wednesday statement of commission head Pavel Gusev says.
"We have emphasized on many occasions that media representatives are not participants in public actions. We believe that this case requires thorough analysis and call on our colleagues in the United States to pay attention to it because guaranteeing the freedom of the media is a common objective for journalists in all countries," the statement says.
Meanwhile, the U.S. media have ignored the detention of the journalists from Russia Today.
"Our colleagues in both international and U.S. television remain silent. The day before yesterday we called everyone, but they told us on the phone: "So what?" RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonian said on Ekho Moskvy radio.
She said that if the same had happened to a U.S. television crew in Russia, this would be reported by all the media.
"Professional solidarity is felt only in Russia," she added.
Simonian said that three charges were brought against the journalists related to one and the same incident. While they were covering a protest action, the police stopped them, pushed them into a bus and took them to court.
"They were made to understand – either you plead guilty or remain in jail. The RT journalists pleaded guilty but now they are awaiting trial under a third charge – police disobedience," Simonian said.
Chairman of the Russian Journalist Union Vsevolod Bogdanov called the detention of RT channel journalists a tragic misunderstanding.
"What happened is dramatic especially as we always speak of the freedom of speech in the United States," he said on Ekho Moskvy.
"What happened is painful and insulting to Russia, to the Russian Journalist Union and to the RT channel that operates observing all the norms of journalism," he said and expressed hope that the situation will be settled.
Two RT staff members were detained covering a protest action outside of Fort Benning housing the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. They were charged with disobedience to the authorities and participation in an unauthorized mass action. After 32 hours in detention they were released on bail. They are now awaiting trial on a charge of disobedience of the authorities.
The TV channel denies all charges.
