Detention of Sputnik Latvia's Senior Editor Violates Press Freedom - IFJ Chief

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) President Philippe Leruth told Sputnik that he considered the detention of the Sputnik Latvia senior editor in Riga infringement on media freedom.

"Even though journalists are not above the law, the detention of a journalist always raise the question whether press freedom is infringed or not. In this very case, the fact [that] no report was filed, and the only questions went about our colleague's activity as senior editor of Sputnik Latvia and the work of the outlet in Latvia, and even though a detention of fewer than 12 hours isn't considered as a formal detention in this country, we can't consider this episode on another way than as an attempt to intimidate a journalist, and hereby as an infringement of press freedom," Leruth said.

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Earlier in the day, Sputnik Latvia website's senior editor Valentins Rozencovs said that he had been detained in Riga by the security police upon his arrival from Moscow and released almost 12 hours later. He noted that security services questioned him about his work as Sputnik Latvia's senior editor and the outlet's work in the country.

Addressing the issue, Sputnik's Press Service underlined that such situations have become a routine thing in the Baltic States, troubled by the increasing popularity of the agency, which provides a point of view "different from what they consider the only right one."