Penza, 3 November 2015. PenzaNews. The editorial office of PenzaNews agency has informed the Center for Legal Support of Journalists under the All-Russian People’s Front (APF), the Russian Union of Journalists and the Glasnost Defense Foundation about the incident where the security staff of “TNS Energo Penza” detained the photo reporter Maxim Kostyushin. The incident took place when he had been taking photos of the company’s building under the orders of the news agency to accompany the newspiece on recent 650,000-ruble fine imposed on the company.

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The editorial office also found it necessary to submit the relevant information to the Penza region prosecutor’s office and the regional department of the Investigation Committee, as the actions of the security service at “TNS Energo Penza,” according to common opinion of numerous journalists, is nothing but a blatant attempt to interfere with lawful professional activities of a media reporter.

The PenzaNews agency editorial office expresses gratitude to the colleagues and all who have shown solidarity by reporting the incident through their media sources and social network accounts.

As of now, “TNS Energo Penza” has issued no official reaction or public apology for the actions of its security staff.

Earlier, during a brief phone talk between the PenzaNews agency editor-in-chief Pavel Polosin, and deputy general director of “TNS Energo,” managing director of “TNS Energo Penza” Roman Chernov [who had headed the Penza city administration in 2005-2014], the latter made it clear he fully supported the actions of the company’s security service and considered the premises of the building on Gagarina street inaccessible for photoshoots without prior agreement.

He also had suggested that any further photoshoots are made on agreement with the top management of “TNS Energo Penza,” struggling to name the law that would back his demand.