Since Russian aggression began terrorists have captured and detained 62 journalists — IMI

Since the Russian aggression began in the East of Ukraine and in Crimea, gunmen of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic and other pro-Russian separatists have taken prisoner or abducted at least 62 journalists. This is the data of the Freedom of Press Barometer monitoring conducted by the Institute of Mass Information.

This tendency began in March in Crimea — 11 abductions, and continued in the East of Ukraine: April— 20 journalists, May— 13, June — 11, and July — 7.

Since the beginning of the year, IMI has registered 6 cases of journalists killed when performing their professional duties (one during the events of Maidan, and 5 — in the zone of the anti-terrorist operation), as well as 257 cases of beatins and assaults against journalists, 114 cases of obstruction to lawful professional activities, and 117 cases of cencorship.

IMI experts point out that most of these violations took place in the East of Ukraine due to separatist moods and actions of terrorists.