Empty Chair: Writers in Prison Committee’s meeting

On May 19, a meeting of the PEN International’s Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) took place, during which the Executive Director of PEN Ukraine Maksym Sytnikov have read Empty Chair dedicated to imprisoned Ukrainian journalists.

We are publishing the text of the statement by PEN International adopted at the meeting.

At least 26 Ukrainian journalists are currently detained by the Russian authorities in the Russian Federation and in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. Many are Crimean Tatars and serving lengthy prison sentences on trumped up grounds, including ‘terrorism’, ‘treason’ or ‘sabotage’. Amongst them are Server Mustafayev, detained by Russian forces since 21 May 2018 and not expected to be released prior to September 2034, and Iryna Danylovych, repeatedly denied access to urgent medical care. Ukrainian nationals held in Russian detention facilities are systematically subjected to torture, prolonged incommunicado detention, enforced disappearance and other inhumane treatment, which amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. A culture of impunity emboldens perpetrators. Journalists in Ukraine continue to operate under immense pressure, facing severe threats to their safety. Russian strikes have also caused extensive damage to telecommunications infrastructure and newsroom premises, further hindering independent reporting from war zones. As the Russian Federation’s war against Ukraine rages on, ensuring the safety of Ukrainian journalists and safeguarding independent reporting remain essential in protecting the public’s access to information and upholding fundamental freedoms. PEN International urges the international community to step up efforts to secure the immediate and unconditional release of all Ukrainian journalists held in Russian captivity, including Oleksiy Bessarabov, Dmytro Shtyblikov, Ernes Ametov, Marlen Asanov, Tymur Ibrahimov, Seyran Saliev, Server Mustafayev, Rustem Sheikhaliev, Ruslan Suleimanov, Osman Arifmemetov, Remzi Bekirov, Amet Suleymanov, Asan Akhtemov, Iryna Danylovych, Yevheniy Ilchenko, Vilen Temerianov, Iryna Levchenko, Vladyslav Hershon, Anastasia Hlukhovska, Heorhiy Levchenko, Oleksandr Malyshev, Maksym Rupchov, Yana Suvorova, Aziz Azizov, Rustem Osmanov and Hennadiy Osmak. PEN International further calls on the international community to ensure independent monitoring of detention conditions in the Russian Federation and in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, hold Russian perpetrators to account, and provide sustained support to Ukrainian media.