Vienna, 22/12/2017
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) expressed deep dismay after learning that a local journalist in the town of Krasny Sulin, in Russia’s southern Rostov region, was shot today.
Independent journalist Vyacheslav Prudnikov, a contributor for the independent news website Kavkazsky Uzel (Кавказский Узел – http://www.kavkaz-uzel.eu/), was shot today during a meeting with a local official.
The journalist was at a meeting with a municipal officer, who wished to remain anonymous, when a vehicle stopped near them. A man then exited the vehicle and opened fire on Prudnikov. The attacker yelled at the journalist that he was “criticizing local authorities too much” and that because of this “we will kill you”. Prudnikov soon received medical assistance, but the unidentified man fled the scene almost immediately.
“We call authorities in the town of Krasny Sulin and Russian institutions to react immediately to this horrific attack” Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General said today. “This is not only unacceptable as a violation of human rights, the journalistic and personal safety of an individual, but is also a telltale sign that press freedom in Russia is in a very bad condition” Vujovic added.
SEEMO is a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South, East and Central Europe.