Photo credit: wikipedia.org
Sputnik Estonia employees, who were under pressure from the Estonian police, decided to terminate their contracts with the editorial board under the threat of criminal prosecution. The international news agency Rossiya Segodnya, which includes Sputnik, supported this decision, RIA Novosti reports.
The agency issued a statement in which the actions of the Estonian authorities were called harassment and a gross violation of the principles of freedom of speech. Rossiya Segodnya emphasizes that it does not want to risk the freedom of employees, whose fault lies only in the fact that they work in the Russian media.
At the moment, the work of the editorial office has been suspended, but, as the agency assured, Sputnik Estonia will definitely resume its work. It was also announced that Rossiya Segodnya will do everything possible to ensure that journalistic activities are not a reason for criminal prosecution.
The agency called on international organizations, human rights and journalistic associations to respond to the flagrant assault on freedom of speech in Estonia.
Earlier, the agency’s management appealed to Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid, demanding to intervene in the situation and prevent the arrest of journalists.
Russian president Vladimir Putin said that the government would support Sputnik branches in different countries.
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry called on the European Union to assess the policy of the Estonian authorities regarding Sputnik. The department called the actions of Tallinn an unceremonious obstruction of freedom of speech.
Russkiy Mir
