Italian reporters Bosco and Sceresini are stuck in Kiev

Bosco sitting on the right, Sceresini on his left.

 WARSAW – Ukrainian authorities revoked the press passes of the two Italian reporters Alfredo Bosco and Andrea Sceresini – that are now stuck in Kiev. 

In a letter the Italian reporters explain that two Ukrainian fixers who work in Donbas have reported them to law enforcement as ‘the enemy’s co-workers’, thus earning them the label of traitors. The two have been in Ukraine since last year – to report on the war. The outcome of the measure taken by the Ukrainian forces, prevents them from moving freely in the country, as they could get arrested at any point.

In the beginning, the authorities claimed that the two had to be interrogated in Kramatorsk by the SBU, the Ukrainian Security Services, and later in Kiev – it is currently unknown how they will proceed. The true motive behind such a decision is yet not known, but Bosco and Sceresini explained that “the voices that circle around amongst the Ukrainian fixers who work in Donbas – and we have written proof of this – indicated us as ‘the enemy’s co-workers’, a claim that in a state of war can have very serious consequences”.

Carlo Bartoli, the president of the National Council at the Order of Journalists, asks for the Farnesina to be activated, he also invites the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to evaluate the situation and guarantee the two co-nationals' safety and guarantees for them to keep performing their jobs. Bartoli also says that according to the opinion of Alessandra Bertolini, the lawyer of the two reporters, they should agree to be interrogated by the Ukrainian authorities as they have reported on some events that occurred in Donbas. On the matter also spoke Sabrina Pignedoli, a Member of the EU Parliament from Movimento 5 Stelle, who says it is an extremely serious matter that their press passes were taken away from them, as it violates the concept of freedom of the press. She reminds about Feb. 14, when another Italian journalist, Salvatore Garzillo, was not allowed to enter Ukraine from Poland, and before him, another reporter, Lorenzo Giroffi. Pignedoli asks for the Institutions of the Europen Union to make their voice be heard on this matter.  

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