Ukrainian journalist released today after a year in jail

Ukrainian ‪journalist Maria ‪Varfolomeyeva was released today after spending more than a year behind bars. The journalist was held under arbitrary detention since 9 January 2015 in ‪Luhansk, Eastern Ukraine, by the authorities of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR). She had been accused of spying for the Ukrainian nationalist movement (Right Sector).   Varfolomeyeva, working for local news website Svobodny Reporter and as a fixer for various national media, was taking photos of an apartment block in Luhansk on 9 January 2015 when she was detained by representatives of the LPR and later threatened with a 15-year jail sentence. See more information here. The IFJ and the EFJ had submitted her case to the Council of Europe’s platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists