Russian soldiers deliberately shot a car with the word “Press” and deliberately robbed Swiss journalist Guillaume Briquet in Ukraine. An independent reporter was injured and robbed while trying to drive from Kirovograd to Mykolaiv Region. After communicating with the Russians, he considers them not military but criminals. Guillaume Briquet spoke about this during a conversation with expert Tаtiana Popova, who recorded an exclusive interview with a European colleague specifically for the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine.
– Guillaume, you were doing your journalist’s work, as far as I understand you have a quite long experience. How many years are you working as a journalist?
– More than 20 years
– How long were you working in Ukraine before this accident happened to you?
– I came before 5 day in Ukraine, but I came before many years: I came to Donbas, to the Maidan, I came for many reporting in Chernobyl zone.
– What is the name of the media you are working for in Ukraine?
– I don’t work for media in Ukraine
– What is the foreign media you are working in Ukraine?
– I’m not working for the media, I’m working for agency
– Information agency?
– Yes
– Ok, did you have an official accreditation in Ukraine for working in war zone?
– I’m sorry, but it’s not accreditation in war zone in Ukraine. Ukraine is not Arabic country, it’s a democratic country. All people with a press card have access to the war zone.
– Ok, ok it’s true. It was a separate accreditation for join force operation, which is Donbas. There is a separate accreditation, but for Ukraine no.
– Donbas is not a democratic place
– Can you please tell more about this incident that happened? So, you were on our blockpost and then you moved to Russian blockpost or what happened?
– No, no, no. I moved to the Mykolaiv. I go to the Ukrainian checkpoint. I was given authorization for continuing to Mykolaiv. After the authorization, I continue. After 4km I had shooting in my car – four shooting the same time near my face. I go outside my car, I put my arms and talk “I’m journalist, don’t kill me, don’t kill journalist” and many guys coming, I told “Are you Ukrainian, are you Russian? What is this? Why you shoot me? I’m journalist” and one guy told me that it’s Russian army. After this one guy put the arm in my pocket and take off my money. At first minute I had no money. And I talked to this man “Why you took my money? This is a robbery.
– And what he said?
– This is the situation.
– Ok, but what did he said? The guy who robbered you? He didn’t say anything?
– He laughed to me.
– Was your car marked as a press or not?
– All my car is one meter letter, very big – press – on all the face of my car. 1m 20 the longer, 1m press in white. It’s impossible don’t look press.
– They knew you are journalist, they knew you are press and they shoot you?
– Yes, of course. I go outside the car, I talk I’m journalist. He pick up my money.
– Do you have Ukrainian fixer or Ukrainian guide with you or you were alone there in the car?
– No, I work alone, I know this place, I know very well this place. It’s not a problem. I go to the checkpoint to Ukrainian; he gives me authorization for continuing. It’s a Ukrainian place.
– Ok, but after they steal your money, what they did? They shoot your car, they steal money and then?
– They still my computer, they still my camera, they still my food.
– Ok, and what happened after that?
– And after this he told me you have three minutes to go back or I kill you. This is a crime. This is a war crime. This is very important. If I have no press card he kill me. He thinks I am a spy. I opened my phone. He told me “Don’t block your phone and I will look your picture on your phone”. I don’t have picture as journalist. I have picture of Russian army in Syria. I have many picture of the war. The guy told: “Oh, you’ve got the war”. I told “Yes, I’m the war photographer”. And other people don’t tough this. This guy, this group is a killer. It’s not military. It’s a killer of Putin.
– Yeah. And they took your car also or not?
– No, no, no
– Ok, they took everything: money, computer, telephone and the send you back in your car?
– They returned me my telephone and one camera. I told that if you don’t give me this, I don’t move and you kill me. This is my job. I Have no job – I’m dead. You kill me immediately. And the guy gave me one camera and my phone. I’m very angry. This is not a military. Military is prude. I told: “You’re not prude. You are animals”. I’m very angry
-Did you get some injuries? I see you have something in your head.
– Yes, and on my arm.
– Oh my God, it was shooting or beating?
– Shoot break my glass and it’s many little glasses in my arm.
– So, and than you returned back to Ukrainian side? Am I right?
– Yes, I went to the checkpoint and got to the hospital.
– And Ukrainian police and doctor help you?
– Yes, I go to hospital, of course.
– There is some reaction from your Swiss government, from Foreign Affairs Ministry?
– Yes, assistant of the president of Confederation call me today.
– Ok. We will report it to Ukrainian journalists Union and than we will report it to European journalist’s Federation, because they use our materials.
– I’m in contact with International Journalist Federation.
– Thank you Guillaume. It was very kind of you that you made this reporting for me. And I will forward it to International Journalist Federation. And I wish you good health after this incident.
– Thank you.
