Harlem Desir
The representative of the Organization for security and cooperation in Europe on freedom of the media, Harlem Desir sent a letter to the Minister of foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavel Klimkin, in which he expressed disagreement with the deportation of foreign journalists. This was reported on the OSCE website.
“The expulsion of journalists and denial of entry to Ukraine is alarming, it is a excessive actions, the more that such actions are opaque and there is no proper appeal mechanism”, — stated in the message.
Desir stressed that the participating States of the OSCE have committed themselves to improve the conditions under which journalists from one country can work in other countries belonging to the organization.
“I urge the responsible authorities to refrain from imposing unnecessary restrictions on the work of foreign journalists, which violates the free flow of information and contradicts OSCE commitments regarding freedom of the media”, — said the representative.
The report says about the incident with the Russian journalist Anna Kurbatova, who was detained by the security Service of Ukraine in Kiev and later deported from the country for “harming the national interests of Ukraine”. Also reminds you about the deportation of journalists Tamara Nersesian on August 14 and Maria Kniazeva July 26.
Desir noted that on 25 August the SBU denied the registration applications of two Spanish journalists Pampliega Antonio and Manuel ángel Sastre and forbade them to enter the country within three years — also for “activities directed against the national interests of Ukraine”.