Two Ukrainian journalists who were investigating the issue of cargo transportation on the Polish-Russian border were deported from Poland. The journalists of the news agency, Yuriy Konkevych and Oleksandr Pilyuk, were also deprived of their equipment. This was reported by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), UNN reports.
"The Polish police detained us and seized our property, did not inform the consul, did not allow us to call Ukraine, and the Internal Security Agency called us persons who threaten the national security of Poland and expelled us," said journalist Yuriy Konkevych.
The editorial board of Rayon.in.ua appeals to the state authorities of Ukraine and Poland to respond appropriately to this incident.
"We are appealing to international journalistic organizations for support, because this reaction of Polish law enforcement threatens freedom of speech not only in relation to Ukrainian journalists. We also demand the return of property that is valuable and of material value," said Ihor Denysevych, director of the IA "Rayon.in.ua".
It is noted that this is the second time that Polish law enforcement officers have detained journalists covering trade between Poland and Belarus-Russia. Earlier, security forces detained investigators from Ukrayinska Pravda: Mykhailo Tkach and Yaroslav Bondarenko.
"The NUJU expresses its solidarity with its colleagues and appeals to the Association of Polish Journalists (SDP) and the International and European Federations of Journalists to intervene and protect the rights of Ukrainian journalists," the NUJU informs.
Addendum
On February 27, Ukrayinska Pravda journalist Mykhailo Tkach statedthat he and a cameraman were detained near the Polish-Belarusian border. According to him, he was detained when he was filming a story about the transit of products between Poland and Russia and Belarus. The journalist claims that the Poles partially deleted their footage.
Ukraine's Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Zvarych said in an interview with the Polish media outlet Wirtualna Polska that he had intervened in the journalists' case.
"They were filming the railroad traffic and launched a drone. The police decided to check who it was so that it wouldn't turn out to be provocateurs. The case was resolved quickly," Zvarych said.