Another journalist and translator report being detained in eastern Ukraine
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Version 0 of 1. Multiple crews of journalists are reporting being detained by pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine. CBS News correspondent Clarissa Ward talked with "CBS This Morning" about being held by men who yelled anti-American comments and beat a male colleague. BuzzFeed's Mike Giglio and translator Elena Glazunova were also detained; she shared her story with www.ostro.org, a news service, and he sent out tweets after they were released. Here's their story (with thanks for translation help to Alex Ryabchyn) : Glazunova tells the news service that the two went to a meeting that had been arranged with the press secretary or the "people's secretary" of Slovyansk. They went through a checkpoint, called to double-check that they should continue, and were told that everything was fine. Then, at a second checkpoint, the car was stopped, and flak jackets and personal belongings were taken from passengers, she said. They were transferred to another car, taken to a new location -- where they saw another group of journalists being "escorted" -- and then blindfolded and taken to a different location. We were taken from a pro-Russia checkpoint en route to Slovyansk, blindfolded and held at occupied police building. The ordeal took 3 hours. — Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014 We were taken from a pro-Russia checkpoint en route to Slovyansk, blindfolded and held at occupied police building. The ordeal took 3 hours. — Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014
Blindfolded on drive to where pro-Russia militia held us, but heard them cock guns as we approached their own checkpoints--internal mistrust — Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014 Blindfolded on drive to where pro-Russia militia held us, but heard them cock guns as we approached their own checkpoints--internal mistrust — Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014
All unharmed, aside from one journo punched twice. Got everything back except flak jacket + helmet: "something for us to remember you by." — Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014 All unharmed, aside from one journo punched twice. Got everything back except flak jacket + helmet: "something for us to remember you by." — Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014
Glazunova says in this last location, which was some garages, the men began questioning them. She told the news service they were trying to find out if she was a translator, asking her to say phrases in Russian and English and "talk about the political situation in English." Once they decided to release us -- and a translator overheard talk of taking us hostage -- the pro-Russia militiamen politely served us tea. — Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014 Once they decided to release us -- and a translator overheard talk of taking us hostage -- the pro-Russia militiamen politely served us tea. — Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014
To prove that I am an American citizen I was asked to name the U.S. capital and then to pronounce the word "garden." I passed this test. — Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014 To prove that I am an American citizen I was asked to name the U.S. capital and then to pronounce the word "garden." I passed this test. — Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014
Asked captors if I could get my flak + helmet back. They actually suggested I call them when the war's over and "we don't need them anymore" — Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014 Asked captors if I could get my flak + helmet back. They actually suggested I call them when the war's over and "we don't need them anymore" — Mike Giglio (@mike_giglio) May 2, 2014
Glazunova told ostro.org that the driver was in the hospital. |