The Syndicate-100 Association of Independent Russian Media has issued a statement demanding the release of Sergei Smirnov, the editor-in-chief of the Mediazona Online Media Outlet. The police detained him on an administrative case on participation in the rallies, which took place on January 23, in Moscow during a walk with his son on the afternoon of January 30.
The 7x7 Online Newspaper publishes the full text of the statement.
Release Sergei Smirnov immediately! The statement of Syndicate-100 after the detention of Mediazona's editor-in-chief
Today, on January 30, our colleague Sergei Smirnov, the editor-in-chief of Mediazona, was detained in Moscow during a walk with his son. Security forces in body armor (obviously, to detain a dangerous special criminal) were waiting for him at the entrance hall of his house.
A protocol was drawn up against the journalist on participation in the action on January 23 with interference in the work of transport (Part 6.1 of Article 20.2 of the Administrative Code). He is left in the Tverskoe Police Department overnight until the court session. At the same time, Sergei Smirnov, who received an official warning before this action, was at home on January 23, which is, of course, easy to verify.
The editorial boards of Novaya Gazeta and other media outlets from Syndicate-100 express their support for Sergei and demand his immediate release; they also consider his detention an attempt to intimidate all journalists covering Russia's domestic policy. The pressure of the authorities on the media is unacceptable.
The editorial board of 7x7 aligns itself with the statement. All journalists detained because of the protests on January 23 and 31 should be released.