MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th February, 2019) Russian human rights ombudswoman Tatiana Moskalkova congratulated RIA Novosti Ukraine portal head Kirill Vyshinsky on his birthday, saying that her office was taking every effort to obtain the journalist's release from a Ukrainian prison.
"I want to congratulate Kirill Vyshinsky on his birthday and tell him that ... we are doing everything possible to have him released, and to draw attention to his health [condition], as well as to [seek] assistance from international organizations," Moskalkova told the Rossiya 24 tv channel.
Vyshinsky, who turned 52 on Tuesday, was detained in Kiev in May, on suspicion of treason and support for the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics. Earlier in February, the Kherson city court extended the journalist's arrest until April 8.
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Vyshinsky's arrest is politically motivated and demonstrates Ukrainian authorities' unacceptable policy, aimed at targeting journalists who are just doing their jobs.
Representative on Freedom of the Media of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Harlem Desir has expressed his concern over Ukraine's actions toward Vyshinsky and called for the journalist's release, stressing that all OSCE members had pledged to create the necessary conditions to allow journalists to work freely.
