Russian Ombudswoman Met With Detained In Ukraine Journalist Vyshinsky - Reports

(@FahadShabbir)

Russian Ombudswoman Met With Detained in Ukraine Journalist Vyshinsky - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th August, 2019) Russian ombudswoman Tatiana Moskalkova met RIA Novosti Ukraine portal head Kirill Vyshinsky, who is jailed in Ukraine, Ukrainian media reported.

On early Friday, the Russian Embassy in Ukraine told Sputnik that Moskalkova had arrived in Kiev for a one-day visit. The diplomatic mission has not specified the goals of her visit.

The ombudswoman wants to convince Vyshinsky of agreeing on a prisoner swap, an option that has been repeatedly rejected by the journalist, the Vesti media outlet reported on Friday, citing the Ukrainian Legal Control group.

Vyshinsky was detained in Kiev on May 15, 2018, on suspicion of supporting the self-proclaimed republics in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region and treason.

The harshest sentence the journalist faces is 15 years in prison.

Russia has repeatedly said that Vyshinsky's arrest is politically motivated and demonstrates the former Ukrainian authorities' unacceptable policy of targeting journalists.

Harlem Desir, the representative on freedom of the media at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, has also expressed his concern over Ukraine's actions toward Vyshinsky and called for the journalist's release.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in July that Kiev was ready to exchange Vyshinsky for Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov, jailed in Russia for plotting terrorist attacks.