Sunday, March 9, 2014
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine
Source: http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/03/9/7018242/

Details have come to light about the detainment and disappearance of a group of journalists who were heading to Crimea from the Kherson Oblast [Region].

As reported to Ukrainska Pravda by Oleksiy, a “Glavkom” [Ukrainian media project] journalist who was released after being inspected at the checkpoint, there were many soldiers and unknown persons in military uniforms at the checkpoint where the activists were detained.

According to the journalist: members of Berkut, “Crimean self-defense” and the “little green-men” separated the various groups of journalists and inspected them.

Two girls, Automaidan activists, were travelling in one of the detained cars. Oleksiy witnessed their baggage being dumped out of the car – the girls were bringing letters to soldiers, food products, Ukrainian symbols, flags, and so forth to Crimea.

From Oleksiy’s vantage point it looked like the girls, who were crying, were being beaten with their hands tied. Later their car was taken aside and the girls were led away in an unknown direction. Communication with them stopped after the incident at about 16:00.

Ukrainska Pravda has learned that Kateryna Butko and Oleksandra Riazantseva are being held in the Berkut camp. According to information from Automaidan, the “Crimean self-defense” has agreed to release the girls, but Berkut has refused to do so.

Later Oleksandra Riazantseva’s parents were informed that she and Butko were being taken to Sevastopol to the Black Sea Fleet headquarters of the Russian Federation.

Persons from another automobile have also disappeared: Oles (last name unknown), a freelance photo correspondent, and another journalist.

The driver’s wife, Kateryna Abiyeva, has reported that her husband, Yevhen Rakhno, was detained at the checkpoint in Perekop. “He was driving a group of three journalists, two of them from “Glavkom.” They were stopped at Perekop, turned their car inside out, found their cameras, threw them to the ground and led them all away to an unknown place. At present there is no contact with them,” said Abiyeva.

Missing driver who drove in three Crimean journalists

One of the passengers was a girl, according to Abiyeva. Oleksiy, the “Glavkom” journalist, was allowed through the checkpoint because he was being picked up by his brother whose car has a Crimean license plate. The fate of the others is unknown.

Attempts to get information through the DAI [Department of the State Auto Inspection], who are located next to the Russian troops at the checkpoint, were not successful.

Euromaidan SOS has reported that three journalists who were detained at the Armiansk Crossing are being brought to the SBU [Security Service of Ukraine] in Sevastopol.

“In Armiansk, the Sevastopol Berkut detained them. Further SBU agents called in from Sevastopol who then took the journalists with them,” according to the report.

The Ukrainian SBU press service has announced that the SBU headquarters in Sevastopol has been taken over by separatists who have gone over to the side of the self-appointed government of Crimea and, at present, the newly appointed SBU administration is no longer in that building.

“The ex-director of the SBU has gone to the side of the separatists. The new administration is not functioning in the former headquarters,” according to the Ukrainian SBU.

UPDATED INFORMATION:
The Criminal investigation division with the Interior Ministry of Ukraine found the kidnapped female journalists in Crimea. Negotiations are underway. God willing all will end well. It would have been good, but we must wait for the results of negotiations. Therefore, I would like to note on the margins that we understand all those involved in holding the girls. Do you really need this, guys? Let the outcome be swift and positive.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=742896845720847&id=635416686497814

RELATED INFORMATION:
Reporters Without Borders: https://en.rsf.org/ukraine-two-ukrainian-journalists-missing-10-03-2014,45977.html