Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), in a letter to Petro Poroshenko, President of Ukraine has expressed concern over the decision of Ukraine to put entry ban on Austrian journalist, Christian Wehrschütz, in the country.
PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali, condemned the decision of Ukrainian authorities and called on the government to immediately reverse the entry ban on Wehrschütz and allow him to work freely.
According to International Press Institute (IPI), Wehrschütz, Austrian Radio and TV-correspondent, barred to enter Ukraine for one year.
Wehrschütz has reported from Ukraine for the Austrian public broadcaster ORF. The journalist also covered from the conflict areas of Ukraine.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has blamed journalist for illegally entering the disputed Crimean peninsula. Though Wehrschütz has denied this blame.
The authorities has previously denied accreditation of Wehrschütz to cover the eastern part of the country where Ukraine was involved in a war with Russian-supported separatists.
Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl called the entry ban on Wehrschütz, an unacceptable act of censorship.
The ORF director, Alexander Wrabetz called the Ukraine’s allegations against journalist illogical and the ban an act of contempt for ORF’s public service mission.
