105. The struggle for control of the media outlets, and who is able to broadcast where, continues inside Ukraine, particularly in the east. The latest incident was the seizure of a TV centre in Donetsk on 27 April by pro-Russian protesters with the demand that it switches back to broadcasting Russian TV, which followed an earlier decision by the Kyiv administrative court to prevent such broadcasting and only permitting Ukrainian TV channels. 106. The environment for journalists working in eastern Ukraine is deteriorating. Journalists, bloggers and other media personnel either based in the region, or visiting, are facing increasing threats and acts of intimidation, including abduction and unlawful detention by armed groups. According to information received by the HRMMU, the so-called “Slovyansk self-defence unit” has been unlawfully detaining journalists since 15 April. There are reports that at the check-points of Slovyansk, there are lists of journalists and others that the armed group is seeking, with photographs and personal data. Allegedly, in this way many journalists have been detained. Most are accused by the armed groups who detain them of working for the CIA, FBI, the Right Sector or of being one-sided about their reports from Slovyansk. 107. The HRMMU is aware of at least 23 journalists, reporters, photographers (both foreign and Ukrainian nationals) who have been abducted and unlawfully detained by armed groups, primarily in Slovyansk. As of 5 May, 18 of them were known to have been released. They have reported that those still kept in unlawful detention, including journalists, by the “Slovyansk self-defence unit”, had been subjected to ill-treatment. 108. The exact number of the journalists still unlawfully detained remains unknown. As of 5 May, the HRMMU was following the cases of a number of journalists, including: 1) journalist with the Open Dialogue Foundation who went missing on 16 April but was released on 6 May; 2) staff member of the “Hidden Truth TV, went missing on 20 April. Both were reportedly seen by a journalist who was then released44 in the basement of the seized building in Slovyansk; 3) a journalist with the Lviv-based media outlet “ZIK” was unlawfully detained by unknown persons on 25 April on the main square of Slovyansk; and 4) a journalist with the Lutsk-based “Volyn Post” newspaper, went missing on 26 April in Slovyansk. The whereabouts of at least two of these journalists remains unknown. 109. On 2 May, several journalist crews were briefly abducted by unknown persons in the Donetsk region: the production team of SkyNews and CBS as well a “Buzzfeed” news website journalist and his interpreter. The HRMMU interviewed most of the victims after their release and return to Donetsk. During their unlawful detention, the journalists and local staff were blindfolded, held at gun point, interrogated, and threatened. One female journalist was reportedly sexually harassed. 110. The impact of the developments in eastern Ukraine on the most vulnerable groups is being closely monitored by the HRMMU. Attacks by an armed group on Roma communities in Slovyansk that were reported, resulted in many Roma families leaving the area, with others remaining in the city fearful to cross checkpoints. 44 Journalist of the VICE News (USA) who was detained on 22 April and released on 24 April. 54 | P a g e