Ukraine's Media Movement calls for investigation into journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna's death in Russian captivity

Ukrainian journalists and media representatives are calling for an investigation into the death of freelance writer Viktoriia Roshchyna and the wellbeing of the 29 Ukrainian journalists currently held in Russian captivity. Ukraine’s Media Movement believes that Roshchyna's death was either the result of premeditated murder or the consequence of ill-treatment and violence.

Source: a statement by the Media Movement

Quote: "We, journalists and media professionals, express our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Viktoriia Roshchyna, a brave and talented Ukrainian journalist who died in Russian captivity at just 27 years old. 

Knowing that Viktoriia Roshchyna had been in captivity for over a year and that she was physically healthy before her imprisonment by Russian forces, we have every reason to believe that her death was either the result of intentional murder or the consequence of ill-treatment and violence she suffered while in Russian captivity."

Read Viktoriia Roshchyna's articles for Ukrainska Pravda

Details: The journalists have urged their colleagues from Ukrainian, foreign and international media to highlight this tragedy and conduct independent investigations into the circumstances of Roshchyna's death.

They are calling on international organisations "to take urgent action to verify the condition and protect the rights of the 29 civilian Ukrainian journalists currently held in Russian captivity".

In particular, the Media Movement has urged the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to fulfil its mandate and make regular visits to prisoners held by the Russian Federation.

Quote: "The current statute and response of the ICRC do not match the scale of the immense humanitarian crisis caused by Russian aggression. We demand that the ICRC establish monitoring missions in Russian prisons holding Ukrainian journalists and do everything possible to ensure that detainees' basic rights are upheld, and that they are protected from abuse."

Details: The statement’s signatories are also calling on the UN to set up an independent commission to investigate Roshchyna’s death, and for the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression to report publicly on the situation of Ukrainian journalists in Russian captivity.

They are calling on the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to look into the conditions in which Ukrainian journalists are held in Russia, and to appoint a special mission, led by the Representative on Freedom of the Media, to verify facts relating to the illegal detention, murder and persecution of Ukrainian journalists by Russia.

They are also calling on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to urgently hold a debate on Russia's systemic violations of journalists' rights, including the case of Roshchyna's murder, and to initiate a special resolution condemning the murder of Ukrainian journalists and calling for sanctions to be imposed on the Russian officials responsible for these crimes.

PACE is also urged to appoint a special rapporteur to report on Russian crimes against Ukrainian journalists.

The statement is available for signing by media representatives.

All willing to support the family of Viktoriia Roshchina are welcome to do so.

Reference for funds transfer:
Card number: 4149 4991 4394 6851

Recipient: Volodymyr Mykhailovych Roshchyn

Account: 26208888025983

IBAN: UA1730529900000262088880825983

Recipient's bank: JSC CB PrivatBank, Kyiv, Ukraine

Bank code: 305299

Purpose of payment: Charity donation to support the family of Viktoriia Roshchyna

Background:

• Viktoriia Roshchyna disappeared on 3 August 2023 while reporting from Russian-occupied territory, where she was working to shine a light on the lives of people living under occupation. According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, she died on 19 September 2024.
• It was not until May 2024 that Russia admitted to having detained Roshchyna. The Russian Defence Ministry sent a letter confirming this to her father, Volodymyr Roshchyn.
• On 10 October 2024, Petro Yatsenko, the head of the press service of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, said during the 24/7 national joint newscast that Viktoriia Roshchyna had died in Russian custody. Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence said that she had been due to be brought back to Ukraine in the near future.
• Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights, later said he had received confirmation of Roshchyna’s death from the Russian side.
• The Office of the Prosecutor General announced on 11 October that a criminal case opened in connection with Roshchyna’s disappearance has been reclassified as a war crime combined with premeditated murder. 

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