The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has called on governments, parliaments, and international organizations to ensure the release and return of journalists held captive or illegally detained in Ukraine.
This was announced by the head of the Committee on Organization of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development, and Urban Planning, as well as the head of the «Servant of the People» party, Olena Shulyak.
«Freedom of expression and independence of the media are key components of democracy. The role of journalists in the conditions of Russian aggression is extremely important, as the media is also a weapon. Their work ensures access to truthful information, forms an objective view of events, and helps counter military propaganda and disinformation,» Shulyak stated.
According to the MP, as a result of Russian aggression, 70 journalists have been killed, and over two dozen are either captive or illegally detained by the Russian Federation.
«Organizations defending journalists’ rights note violations of international humanitarian law in the conditions of detaining Ukrainian journalists in Russian prisons. This requires immediate action and international cooperation for their release and return to their homeland,» emphasized Shulyak.
The party leader noted that the appeal of the Verkhovna Rada to international organizations is an urgent step in the fight for the freedom of Ukrainian journalists.
«For us, every detained journalist is a human rights violation, a threat to access to truthful information, and international security. In recent years, Ukraine has witnessed the unjust detention of its journalists, which is part of Russia’s criminal strategy that violates international standards, threatens the lives and health of these individuals,» Shulyak concluded.
