A journalist for Vice News is being held in the Ukraine after Tweeting about the self-appointed ‘Mayor’ Vyacheslav Ponomarev during a press conference.
Simon Ostrovsky Tweeted yesterday that Ponomarev was threatening to hold the entire room hostage, but it seems only he was detained afterwards.
Gazeta.ru reported the news, saying: ‘The "People's mayor" of Slavyansk, Vyacheslav Ponomarev, said that the militia has taken the American journalist, Simon Ostrovsky, hostage, reports a correspondent for Gazeta.ru, Ponomarev announced this during a press conference at the House of Culture in Slavyansk.’
But Ponomarev says the American is not being held hostage, and apparently even feigned a call to his parents during a subsequent press conference: ‘Nobody abducted him, nobody is holding him hostage, he's with us now in at the SBU, preparing material and working,’ Ponomarev told a room of reporters, implying that the journalist is working with the militia.
However, Roland Oliphant of The Telegraph, was at that press conference and says the Mayor and press secretary confirmed they have the Vice staffer ‘in custody’.
Vice News said in a statement on its website that they are working with the state department to free the journalist: ‘Vice News is aware of the situation and is in contact with the US State Department and other appropriate government authorities to secure the safety and security of our friend and colleague, Simon Ostrovsky.’
Ostrovsky Tweeted yesterday: ‘Sloviansk pro-Russia 'mayor' threatens to throw journalist out for "provocative" question about former mayor being held under guard’, followed by a Tweet saying: 'Now he's not letting reporters leave the press conference: "you'll go as you came in. In a group." That's one way to guarantee coverage.’
Picture: Vice
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.