22:55, 25 November 2006

Austrian journalists detained in Chechnya

On November 24, Austrian TV lady-journalist, operator and sound operator were detained in Chechnya, the ORF state Austrian TV company, for which the journalists made their reports, informs. The news was reported by the "Gazeta.ru" with a reference to the Associated Press.

According to the TV company, Ms. Susanne Schroll and her two colleagues were arrested by law enforcement bodies of Chechnya and released several hours later, but the video materials confiscated at detention were never returned. The ORF company has declared that intends to lodge a complaint to the Russian Embassy in Vienna.

Meanwhile, Nikolai Varavin, head of the united press centre of the Operative Headquarters in Chechnya, stated that the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Chechnya and the Temporary Operative Grouping had not detained any foreign journalists, the RIA "Novosti" reports.

In his turn, Amzat Umkhaev, first deputy minister for national policy, information and print of Chechnya, told the "Interfax" that "journalists from Austria, even if they have visited the Chechen Republic, had not informed the ministry."