An American journalist is being held by pro-Russian authorities in Ukraine on suspicion of "bad activities."
According to the New York Daily News, Simon Ostrovsky, currently employed by Vice News, has not been seen since Tuesday. He has been reporting from Ukraine for weeks and recently published work on masked gunmen seizing government buildings in the area.
Stella Khorosheva, a spokeswoman for the pro-Russian insurgents in Slovyansk, confirmed on Wednesday that Ostrovsky is being held in a Ukranian security service that was taken over around one week ago.
"He's with us. He's fine," Khorosheva told The Associated Press. When asked why he was being held, she claimed he is "suspected of bad activities" and would not disclose further details. She also said the insurgents are conducting their own investigation.
Ostrovsky was taken at a checkpoint in Slovyansk, the Daily Beast reported.
Initially, separatist leader Vyacheslav Ponomaryov claimed Ostrovsky was not kidnapped by authorities.
"Nobody is holding him hostage, he's with us now at the SBU [intelligence service building], preparing material and working," Ponomaryov said.
However, Khorosheva told The Daily Beast that the capture was planned.
"We knew where he was going and the men manning the checkpoint were told to look out for him," she said, adding he was reporting in an "incorrect way."
Before Ostrovsky was taken, several other international journalists -- Dmitriy Galko, a Belarus journalist, and Italian and French reporters Paul Gogo and Kossimo Attanasio -- were detained and questioned. They were all released after their documents were checked by the insurgents, The Daily Beast said.
A representative of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) called for the release of Ostrovsky.
"I remain deeply concerned about the ongoing negative pattern in relation to journalists' safety in Ukraine," said OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović. "I call on all those responsible to stop harassing and attacking journalists and let them do their job. Simon Ostrovsky should be released immediately."
