The ABC rejected Russia's claims that the two journalists acted illegally after entering Ukraine's occupied Kursk region.
European correspondent Kathryn Diss and cameraman Fletcher Yong were charged with entering Russia “illegally” from Ukraine on August 31st.
The two were escorted by Ukrainian military units to the Russian town of Suzha in the Kursk region, which is currently occupied by Ukraine, ABC reported.
On Friday, the Russian news agency Tass reported that Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor agency to the Soviet KGB, had “opened a criminal case against Mr. Dis, Mr. Yong, and Romanian journalist Barbu Mircea and is investigating the matter. “I am doing so.'' The case of “illegal crossing of the Russian border.”
The crime is punishable by up to five years in prison, TASS said.
An ABC spokesperson denied any wrongdoing and insisted the two had entered Russia legally.
“We reject Russia's claims that ABC reporters committed illegal acts,” the spokesperson said.
“They were reporting from occupied territory in a combat zone in full compliance with international law.
“Their reporting was aimed at keeping the public well-informed on stories of international importance.”
A spokeswoman said the journalists had the full support of the ABC.
Dis and Yong's visit made headlines as the broadcaster's first visit to Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. September 4th report The streets of Suja were shown to be “littered with broken glass, twisted metal and crumbling bricks”.
“Crossing the border here not only involves the physical danger of entering a combat zone. It also means that we are unlikely to be able to return to Russia as individuals,” Dis and Yon said. is written in the article.
“Moscow issued Interpol red notices to several other Western journalists it accused of illegally crossing the border days after the invasion of Ukraine.”
The pair are the subject of an ongoing investigation after making a similar trip to Kursk, where they were joined by journalists from Italian, German, American and Ukrainian news outlets.
In August, the FSB opened an investigation into Italian journalists Simone Traini and Stefania Battistini. CNN reporter Nick Peyton Walsh. Nicholas Simon Connolly, reporter for German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. According to TASS, Ukraine correspondents Natalya Nagornaya, Olesya Borovik and Diana Butko were the reporters.
“Since August 17, 2024, criminal proceedings have been opened against a total of 12 foreign journalists for the offenses in question,” the FSB said.
Since 2022, Russia has banned more than 200 Australians from entering the country and denied entry “indefinitely” to a number of journalists and celebrities “as part of a Russophobic campaign by Western groups,” authorities said. Ta.
They include ABC journalists Sarah Ferguson, Isabella Higgins, Emily Clarke and Eric Campbell, all of whom reported on the Ukraine war, the ABC reported.
Former prime ministers Tony Abbott and John Howard were added to the list in June.
