An American reporter for new media outlet Vice Media is reported to have been seized by Pro-Russian gunmen in Eastern Ukraine, according to multiple reports.
33 year old Simon Ostrovsky is a Soviet-born American-Israeli journalist, director, and producer, who was in the field reporting for Vice as part of their “Russian Roulette” series of reports covering the trouble in Ukraine.
Ostrovsky was reportedly detained after attending a press conference in Sloviansk.
Irma Krat, journalist/Maidan activist, held by pro-Russians and wheeled out for world's weirdest press conference pic.twitter.com/jraT0za39t
— Simon Ostrovsky (@SimonOstrovsky) April 21, 2014
Wait, this is the weirdest presser ever. This lady called us all liars and then asked for funeral money pic.twitter.com/m206SyMYZw
— Simon Ostrovsky (@SimonOstrovsky) April 21, 2014
Although Ostrovsky didn’t tweet his detention, he did however report prior that the press conference had taken a turn for the worse:
Sloviansk pro-Russia 'mayor' threatens to throw journalist out for "provocative" question about former mayor being held under guard
— Simon Ostrovsky (@SimonOstrovsky) April 21, 2014
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.
— Simon Ostrovsky (@SimonOstrovsky) April 21, 2014
Vice Media said in a statement:
“VICE News is aware of the situation and is in contact with the United States State Department and other appropriate government authorities to secure the safety and security of our friend and colleague, Simon Ostrovsky.”
Confirmation of the detention came from Richard Oliphant, who was also at the presser:
The mayor of Slavyansk & his press sec have confirmed @SimonOstrovsky is in custody in Slavyansk. I was at the presser.
— Roland Oliphant (@RolandOliphant) April 22, 2014
His current status is not clear at the time of writing.
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