JOURNALIST DETAINED IN KIEV

The New Region information agency correspondent in Kiev was arrested by the militia. Thursday. Valery Miasnikov was stopped near a metro station and forced into the militia car. The militiamen drove him to the station for interrogation. They ignored the recently introduced rule to inform an arrested individual about his or her rights. The cops also ridiculed Mr. Miasnikov’s demand to contact a lawyer. The interrogator refused to answer the journalist’s question about reasons for his arrest. He inquired about the New Region Agency, its financial forces, structure and supporters among political forces in the Ukraine. After the interrogation Valery Miasnikov was released. The New Region based in Moscow is going to protest against his illegal detention. It seems that the Ukrainian regime is embarking on a campaign of intimidation to force Ukrainian citizens working for the New Region to quit their jobs. The New Region is the only Russian information agency that questions the legitimacy of the Ukrainian state and its occupation of the Crimea.