The Organization for the Security and Cooperation in Europe has condemned a Monday raid by Russia's Federal Security Service on Crimean Tatar TV channel ATR in Simferopol, during which files and personal data were confiscated.
In a statement, OSCE called the move intolerable and urged the local authorities to allow ATR resume broadcast as soon as possible, Ukraine Today reports.
Russia’s law enforcement officials claim that the raid is part of an investigation into the deaths of two locals a year ago.
The crackdown on the independent Crimean-language TV broadcaster caused protests in Simferopol, as it is seen as a further build-up of pressure on the occupied region’s minority Crimea Tatar community, which did not support Russia’s annexation of the peninsula.
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