Statement on the murder of journalist Viktoria Roshchyna

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

Knowing that Viktoria 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 a consequence of the cruel treatment and violence she suffered while in Russian captivity.

Viktoria Roshchyna was detained on August 3, 2023, in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine while performing her journalistic duties, planning to report on the lives of people under occupation. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, she died on September 19, 2024.

We urge our colleagues in Ukrainian, foreign, and international media to highlight this tragedy, conduct independent investigations into the circumstances surrounding Viktoria's death, and help tell the world about the fate of Ukrainian journalists currently held in Russian captivity.

International institutions mandated to protect human rights must act decisively and immediately. We call on international organizations to take urgent action to verify the condition and protect the rights of 29 civilian Ukrainian journalists currently held in Russian captivity.

We call on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to fully execute its mandate and regularly visit prisoners, particularly civilians held by Russia in occupied Ukrainian or Russian territories. 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.

We urge the United Nations (UN) to activate its structures, such as the Human Rights Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and establish an independent commission to investigate the death of Viktoria Roshchyna. We also call on the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression to report publicly on the situation of Ukrainian journalists in Russian captivity, as well as on other crimes committed by Russia against Ukrainian media and journalists.

We call on the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to use its human rights monitoring tools for an urgent review of the conditions of Ukrainian journalists held in Russia. We also call on the OSCE to appoint a special mission, led by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, to investigate the illegal detentions, murders, and persecution of Ukrainian journalists by Russia.

We urge the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to hold urgent debates on Russia’s systematic violations of journalists' rights, particularly the murder of Viktoria Roshchyna, and to initiate a special resolution condemning the killing of Ukrainian journalists and calling for sanctions against Russian officials responsible for these crimes. We also call on PACE to appoint a special rapporteur to report on Russian crimes against Ukrainian journalists and the threats to journalists' safety caused by Russian aggression.

Freedom of speech is the cornerstone of any democracy. When journalists are unlawfully detained, it is not only an attack on individuals but also an assault on the right of everyone to freely express themselves and receive uncensored information. We appeal to all those who believe in democratic values to unite in defending these principles and seeking justice for the detained Ukrainian journalists wrongfully imprisoned by Russia.

The statement is open for signing by media professionals. To sign, please fill out the Google form.

Please, find the list of activists who already signed the statement here (constantly updated).

Details for Donations to Support Viktoria Roshchyna’s Family:

For payments through a card:
4149 4991 4394 6851

For payments with banking details:
Recipient: Volodymyr Mykhailovych Roshchyn
Account: 26208888025983
IBAN: UA173052990000026208888025983
Bank: PrivatBank, Kyiv, Ukraine
MFO: 305299
Purpose of payment: Charitable contribution to support Viktoria Roshchyna’s family