OSCE military observer freed on medical grounds
Iran Press TV
Sun Apr 27, 2014 5:34PM GMT
A military observer from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), who was held captive by pro-Russian protesters in Ukraine's eastern city of Slavyansk, has been freed.
Stella Khorosheva, the spokesperson of the Pro-Russian activists, told reporters on Sunday that one of the eight European military monitors, who were detained by pro-Russian activists in the eastern city, is now released.
Self-defense forces detained the foreign mediators together with five Ukrainians on Friday, arguing that they were spying for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Khorosheva said the observer is a Swedish national and that he is released on medical grounds.
"He has a mild form of diabetes and so we decided to let him go," she said.
Asked if he was the only observer, who was released on Sunday, Khorosheva replied "yes."
Three unarmed men reportedly escorted the observer into an OSCE jeep on Sunday evening.
The release of the observer comes following talks between self-proclaimed mayor of Slavyansk Vyacheslav Ponomarev and a delegation from (OSCE), who arrived in the city earlier today.
Ponomarev said on Saturday that the detainees could be released in exchange for the release of jailed activists, held by Kiev authorities.
Captors presented the detained observers to more than 60 journalists in Slavyansk's town hall earlier today to give assurances that they have not been mistreated.
Pro-Russia protests gained momentum in the eastern and southern parts of Ukraine after Crimea declared independence from the former Soviet state and formally applied to become part of the Russian Federation following a referendum in March.
MOS/PR
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