The camera crew of LifeNews channel, who arrived to cover the protests in Kishinev, were detained by customs officers at Kishinev airport.
«It is already for nine hours I and my colleague, Natalya Kalysheva, have been at the transit zone of Kishinev airport. They haven't returned our passports up to now. We have been given only a list of several points according to which we can't enter Moldova," said the LifeNews correspondent, Aleksey Kazannikov. This document has one main point, namely, the lack of permission for special equipment, though we do not have any special equipment.»
According to him, the whole story began when the reporter and cameraman were going through passport control.
«A customs officer came up to me and began to ask rudely about the aim our coming to Moldova," said Aleksey Kazannikov. We replied we were going to cover the protests at Kishinev's central square, but it seems Moldova does not want Russian journalists to make reports about it.»
Then, according to Aleksey Kazannikov, the customs officers asked the reporters to fill in a customs declaration, checked their entire luggage and took away a flash drive with a recorded report. As they said, this report contains information prohibited in Moldova.
According to Aleksey Kazannikov, when examining their passports, the border guards paid special attention to the fact that Natalya Kalysheva had been deported from Ukraine.
«We were told several times: 'Guys, do not be impertinent, or else we will give you to our Ukrainian colleagues'.» I am sure the Moldovan customs know what happened in Ukraine, so I do not exclude it was a direct threat to the camera crew," said Aleksey Kazannikov.
«A representative of the Air Moldova Company said the border guards told them to take us directly to Moscow and at our expense. We have come here on business and we are not going to leave right away. We are told we can choose any flight till afternoon," said the reporter.
It is recalled that on 6 September a large scale anti-government protest action began on Kishinev's Great National Assembly Square. The demonstration was organised by political organisation Dignity and Justice [Demnitate si Adevar].
