Some journalists didn't get to Karachun because of accusations in fraud and weapons possession

Some of the media missed the grand opening of TV tower on Dec. 5 at Karachun in Sloviansk, because of accusations in criminal offenses. Reports Donbass News with reference to the representative of "DonbasPublicTV".

All journalists were brought to Karachun from Kramatorsk (Donetsk region) says the publication. Upon arrival all media were tested for dangerous objects, documents, and then conducted a search with the sniffer dog.  Unidentified man asked four journalists return to the bus, after the searches and checks in a database, thus prohibiting them to attend the event. There were reporters of Espreso.TV, journalists from a local newspaper, and operator from the "DonbasPublicTV".

According to Dmytro Zhuravlyov, the operator of "DonbasPublicTV", the explanation why they are mssing the opening of the TV tower is that allegedly their names are in adatabase of wanted persons in connection with violation of the law. Three of the four detainees are charged with credit cards fraud, illegal possession of weapons and participation in a roundtable with the militant Igor Girkin. They didn't name the cause of arrest to the fourth journalist.

The media representatives stayed in a bus for four hours. After the event and when President Petro Poroshenko left the Karachun mountain, detained journalists along with other members of the media were taken back to Kramatorsk, with no further explanations.

There were no official charges to journalists and they were released on arrival in Kramatorsk.

The "DonbasPublicTV" stated that Dmytro Zhuravlyov had accreditation to the event which he received at the press service of the Donetsk Regional State Administration in accordance with requirements of the Presidential Administration.

The EspresoTV states that Artur Shahalin, operator of their channel, is detained by the Secret service of Ukraine.

"In particular, Artur Shahalin charged with possession of weapon. In this case, law enforcement officials behaved arrogantly and aggressively. But at the end of the event the journalists were released without any explanation, "- says the channel. 

The channel considers such actions as interference in journalists' activities and requires the leadership of the state to punish the guilty in this situation.

As IMI informed the "Do TeBe" TV channel (branch of the National Television Company of Ukraine "Donetsk Regional Directorate") claims that the Security Service of Ukraine and the Department of State Guard inhibit the work of Pavlo Palahuty, the journalist of the channel, at the opening of the TV tower at the Karachun Mount Dec.5.

The channel considers unacceptable the selectivity assumption of journalists to public official events with the President of Ukraine participation.

December 5 in Sloviansk (Donetsk region) opened the restored TV tower at the Karachun mountain, which was destroyed during the warfare in 2014 and which transmit a signal of  theUkrainian broadcasters. The opening of the tower was held by the President of Ukraine - Petro Poroshenko.