Head Of RIA Novosti Ukraine Portal Vyshinsky Enters 100th Day In Ukrainian Custody

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th August, 2018) Friday marks the 100th day since the arrest of Kirill Vyshinsky, the head of the RIA Novosti Ukraine portal, by Ukrainian authorities.

On May 15, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) broke into the office of the RIA Novosti Ukraine portal in Kiev and detained Vyshinsky on suspicion of supporting the self-proclaimed Peoples Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as treason.

On May 17, the court in Kherson ruled that Vyshinsky should be arrested for 60 days without bail. On July 13, the court prolonged the arrest for two months until September 13. On August 6, the court shortened the term to end on September 8.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said the journalist's arrest was politically motivated and demonstrated an unprecedented and unacceptable policy of Ukrainian authorities targeting journalists, who were doing their jobs.

Harlem Desir, the OSCE representative on freedom of the media, has also expressed his concern over the SBU's actions, stressing that, under the Helsinki Final Act, the OSCE states "have committed to facilitating the conditions under which journalists from one participating State exercise their profession in another participating State."

First Vice-Speaker of the Ukrainian parliament Iryna Herashchenko said in July that Ukraine was ready to consider a prisoner exchange with Russia that would include Vyshinsky.