Journalists leave Chechnya after check for links with IS

Today, in Grozny, power agents have detained three journalists, arguing that they were preparing an illegal report. On the same day, all the three were released.

Olga Pavlova, a correspondent of the "Caucasian Policy", Konstantin Solomatin, a Moscow photojournalist, and a Finnish female journalist, whose name is now specified, have been detained in Chechnya on suspicion of involvement in the "Islamic State" (IS), the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was informed at the office of the "Caucasian Policy"; the staff have added that the journalists had already left the territory of Chechnya.

Beslan Uspanov, the chief editor of the "Caucasian Policy", explained to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent: "Two journalists have arrived in Grozny: a Finnish lady and a photojournalist from Moscow. They planned to make some report, and asked Olga [Pavlova] to meet and escort them. They were on the way to some cafe, when a car drove up to them; and agents began taking away their phones."

According to Pavlova, all the detainees were put into the car and taken to the police station. In the corridor Pavlova heard the staff talking about "some available information about the detainees' links with the ISIL."

"She was questioned separately at the police station about what they were doing, what they were going to film and so on; they spent more than an hour there, and, finally, policemen apologized and let them go," said Beslan Uspanov.

After a meeting, the editorial board will decide "on sending a request to law enforcement bodies on the legality of journalists' detention," he concluded.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.