Ex-employees of Sputnik Media detained in Estonia

Ex-employees of Sputnik Media Elena Cherysheva and Mati-Dmitry Terestal were detained in Estonia, they are suspected of violating international sanctions, according to the Delfi portal. Colleagues of journalists told RIA Novosti that it was impossible to contact them after many hours of search.

In early March, the Estonian Internet information portal Sputnik Media announced that it was shutting down due to pressure and restrictions from Estonian banks and authorities, as well as threats against its employees. As editor-in-chief Elena Cherysheva stated at the time, throughout the year, Estonian banks froze employees’ salaries and closed Sputnik Media accounts on the basis of suspicions of “money laundering, terrorist financing, illegal sale of alcohol.” In addition, recently many newsmakers have refused to cooperate with the portal, and the editor-in-chief and employees have been receiving “blatant threats from obscure personalities.”