Upon his release, one of the detained journalists said he and others had been held in a police van for some three hours after which they were brought to a police station, questioned and issued with an official “warning” for having participated in an “unsanctioned protest,” before eventually being released.
Notably, no women were detained.
“It was clear they [the police] went after specific people, all men and mostly journalists,” one witness, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, told POLITICO in a phone conversation. “Probably to discourage journalists from covering such events in the future.”
Russian state media has ignored the soldiers’ wives protest group.
In comments to the Dutch news agency ANP, Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot described the detention of two Dutch journalists as “very concerning,” and said there would be a reaction. She gave no further details.
“You should be able to do your job as a journalist without the risk of landing in jail,” she was quoted as saying.
