The detention of Russian journalists at a US airport is a violation of the US obligations in the field of freedom of speech, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, Zakharova said that the US authorities had not informed the Russian Embassy about the detention of Russian journalists who came to cover the presidential elections in the country. This happened on Tuesday night, the journalists were going there “not incognito,” but “in full compliance with the documents issued.”
“We regard what happened as yet another gross violation by Washington of its obligations in the area of ensuring freedom of access to information and media pluralism. The fact that Russian journalists notified the US authorities of their intentions in advance and received official permission to carry out the editorial assignment testifies to the demonstrative nature of this action,” Zakharova said in a statement.
Russia will not leave the detention of Russian journalists at the US airport without a response, the diplomat said, adding that such actions by the US are fully consistent with the logic of the current administration’s declared global campaign against Russian media and journalists, which directly contradicts not only the US’s international obligations, but also the provisions of its own constitution.
