OSCE media freedom representative calls for immediate release of kidnapped journalists in Crimea, Ukraine

VIENNA, 10 March 2014 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today called for the immediate release of the two Ukrainian journalists who were kidnapped on 9 March.

“I am extremely worried about the escalation of attacks against journalists in Crimea,” Mijatovic said. “The responsibility for ensuring journalists’ safety lies with those responsible for law and order in Crimea, and they must immediately release these journalists.”

According to reports, on 9 March Oles Kromplyas and Olena Maksimenko, journalists with the Glavkom and Ukrainskiy Tizhden’ news portals respectively, and their driver Eugene Rakhno, were stopped by representatives of the Berkut  law enforcement squad at the checkpoint near Armyansk, Crimea. They were then kidnapped by unknown people in military uniform and their current whereabouts are unknown.