Russia criticised for detaining journalists for solo protests

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Police officers detain Russian photographer Victoria Ivleva (C) during a solo picket in support of journalist and activist Ilya Azar outside the Moscow police headquarters in Moscow on May 28, 2020

In Moscow, a number of popular journalists have held individual protests against a 15-day prison time of fellow journalist Ilya Azar. The protesting journalists were detained drawing criticism to Russia from the Council of Europe, BBC reports.

Ilya Azar, a journalist and councillor who works for opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta, was arrested on Tuesday, May 26, in a protest against the detention of an ex-policeman who campaigns against police corruption. Azar was given 15 days in jail on Thursday, May 28, for breaking protest laws.

On Thursday, in Moscow, fellow journalists stood separately outside the Russian Interior ministry before police intervened. Most of them were later released and charged with various offences, BBC reports.

Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović reacted on Twitter: «Greatly dismayed at the arrest of journalist Ilya Azar @A3AP & today’s detention of six journalists after attempted solitary pickets. #COVID19 cannot be an excuse to clamp down on #FreedomOfExpression.»

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