Russia continues to hold 28 Ukrainian journalists and media workers in captivity.

Source: Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian parliament) Committee on Freedom of Speech on Facebook

Quote from the committee: “Another 28 Ukrainian journalists and media workers remain in Russian captivity. We call on the international community to continue to put pressure on Russia – only publicity and persistent fighting will bring closer the day when all Ukrainians will return home.”

Details: The Institute of Mass Information (IMI) lists 26 civilian journalists and one media worker combatant in captivity.

The IMI has information that some of them have been in prison on trumped-up charges since 2016.

On 24 August, Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Khyliuk was brought back to Ukraine as part of a prisoner of war exchange. He was abducted by Russian forces in Kyiv Oblast in 2022 and held in detention for more than three years.

Dmytro endured torture and significant weight loss. His last place of imprisonment was a penal colony in Pakino, Russia, which is notorious for its harsh conditions for Ukrainian captives.

Journalist Mark Kaliush, who was abducted in Melitopol in 2023 along with six colleagues, was also released in the recent exchange.

He was one of the administrators of the Telegram channels RIA-Melitopol and Melitopol is Ukraine. The Russians accused him of “planning a terrorist attack”. They later released him from prison and sent him for forced psychiatric “treatment”, supposedly for schizophrenia.

Background:

The IMI says over 840 Russian crimes against media representatives have been recorded in Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale war, including the killing of 108 journalists.Among those tortured to death in captivity was journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, who investigated the abduction and torture of civilians by Russian forces in occupied territories.

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