OSCE representative warns about appalling journalists’ safety situation in eastern Ukraine after death of one more journalist, calls for thorough investigation

VIENNA, 30 June 2014 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today said she was saddened by the death of Anatoliy Klyan, a cameraman with Russian Perviy Kanal, in eastern Ukraine. Mijatović expressed her condolences to Klyan’s family and colleagues.

“Members of the media continue to pay the highest price possible,” Mijatović wrote in a letter today to the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. “I fully understand the difficult situation in Ukraine and the fact that the national authorities do not control parts of the territory controlled by separatists in the eastern part of the country, but once again I call on all parties in this conflict to respect media freedom and refrain from any violence against members of the media,” Mijatović said.

Along with other Russian journalists from LifeNews and Ren-TV and a group of civilians, Klyan’s film crew came under fire while filming near a Ukrainian military compound in the Donetsk region in the early hours of 30 June. Klyan was shot in the stomach and died from his injuries.

“With Klyan’s death, the death toll of journalists killed in eastern Ukraine has increased to five. I urge the authorities to swiftly and thoroughly investigate the circumstances of Klyan’s death and all other deadly attacks on journalists, and to hold those responsible accountable,” Mijatović said.

A film crew of Mir 24 channel also came under fire in Donetsk on June 30. The journalists are reportedly safe, but their driver was killed.

Previously, the Representative has raised and condemned the killing of journalists Igor Kornelyuk and Anton Voloshin, from the Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, on 17 June near Luhansk and of Italian photojournalist Andrea Rocchelli and his assistant Andrey Mironov on 24 May near Sloviansk.

Mijatović said she hoped that the ongoing investigation of the tragic death of Ukrainian Vesti daily journalist Vyacheslav Veremyi will be completed soon and that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more atwww.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on facebook.com/osce.rfom.