The Ukrainian side has called on the international community to press the Russian Federation into stopping the persecution of Crimean journalist Mykola Semena from Krim. Realii (Crimea. Realities) internet project, a division of Radio Liberty and other Ukrainian citizens.

"Journalist Semena is being persecuted for political reasons for defending freedom of speech for protecting the motherland. We condemn the illegal actions of the invader. We call on international partners to influence the Russian Federation demanding an end to the persecution of Semena and other Ukrainian citizens..!." the spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Ukraine Mariana Betsa wrote on Twitter on Friday.

Semena's lawyer Emil Kurbedinov wrote on his Facebook page that his client on Friday night received an indictment and that soon a criminal case will be sent to the court. "The indictment is the result of pre-trial investigation. After this, the case goes to trial."

In spring of 2016, the Crimean department of the Federal Security Service (FSB) launched a criminal case against Semena on the charge of "public calls for actions aimed at violating the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation, with the use of mass media, or electronic or information telecommunications networks (including the internet)."

In April, a travel ban was imposed on Semena, a journalist from Krim. Realii (Crimea. Realities) internet project, a division of Radio Liberty.