A Russian photojournalist, Andrei Stenin, who was reported missing more than a month ago has been found dead in eastern Ukraine. It appears his car had come under heavy fire near Donetsk.
Stenin, who worked for Russia's state-run news agency, RIA Novosti, had been missing since 5 August. His car was found burned out and riddled with bullet holes.
Initial reports in early August suggested he was being held by either an unknown group or by the Ukrainian security services. The Russian authorities began to investigate his disappearance in mid-August.
Jim Boumelha, president of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), said: "We condemn the appalling murder of the journalist Andrei Stenin and we call on Ukrainian authorities to carry out an immediate and thorough investigation to determine the circumstances of this case.
"Andrei was not a soldier, he was a journalist... Those responsible must answer for this crime."
He repeated the IFJ's earlier call to both sides in the conflict "to respect the freedoms of journalists and to ensure their rights, as determined by international law."
Stenin's murder brings the number of journalists killed in Ukraine this year to seven. There have also been numerous reports of journalists being intimidated, injured and detained.
Mogens Blicher Bjerregård, president of the European Federation of Journalists, said: "The situation for media workers and journalists reporting in Ukraine remains precarious. We advise all journalist covering events in the country to remain mindful of their safety."
Sources: Russia Today/Voice of Russia/IFJ/EFJ
