23:47, 3 June 2016

Sochi: FSB detains blogger and journalist for 48 hours

Alexander Valov. Photo by Yevgeny Panin, Vk.com/alexandrvalov

In Sochi, the FSB has released detained US journalists. Russian citizens Alexander Valov and Dmitri Saltykovsky are accused of violating the procedures for organization and holding gathering in the near-border village of Vesyoloe-Psou.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Alexander Valov, Dmitri Saltykovsky, and TV journalists from the United States, eight people in total, were detained in the territory of the village of Vesyoloe-Psou, where 11 houses from the Olympic heritage fund were sold on June 2. The detainees were kept at the FSB building in Sochi.

Since 2011, residents of Sochi reported about derelict condition and misuse of the houses in the village of Vesyoloe-Psou\, which were a part of the Olympic heritage fund. On May 30, at the Mayor's Office, some of the members of the commission, engaged in consideration of the complaints about the situation, refused to sign the conclusion concerning the above houses.

"The foreigners were kept at the Border Guard Service Department of the Russian FSB at the checkpoint Vesyoloe-Psou for seven hours. After that, they were warned for violation of the border regime and released. And I and Dmitri Saltykovsky were detained for 48 hours without charge or trial for alleged holding a rally or a gathering," said Alexander Valov.

Let us remind you that it was not the first time when Alexander Valov faced law enforcers in the Olympic village. On April 11, he was also brought to a police station of the Border Guard Service Department of the Russian FSB on suspicion of violation of the border regime.

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

Author: Svetlana Kravchenko

Source: CK correspondent