PACE adopts resolution demanding release of Ukrainian journalists held in russian captivity — Yevheniia Kravchuk
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted a resolution entitled “Journalists Matter: the need to step up efforts for the release of Ukrainian journalists held captive by the russian rederation.” The document calls for the immediate release of Ukrainian journalists from russian captivity and an end to the practice of torture, killings, and persecution of media workers.
The author of the resolution, MP Yevheniia Kravchuk, Deputy Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy and member of Ukraine’s permanent delegation to PACE, stressed the importance of the decision.
“This document is about the fate of specific people and about russia’s concrete crimes against Ukraine and Ukrainians. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, more than 800 crimes against journalists and media have been recorded. At least 108 journalists have been killed, and 26 Ukrainian journalists remain in russian captivity. In my speech, I named all 26 of them, and the resolution contains not only their names, but also the places and dates of their detention. Some have been imprisoned since 2016,” she said.
According to Kravchuk, the resolution uses the term “citizen journalists” for the first time.
“There are no free media in territories occupied by russia. In Crimea, for example, Crimean Tatar activists and relatives of political prisoners cover the events of the occupation. Most are forced to work anonymously for their own safety. They often become victims of persecution,” the MP explained.
She emphasized that the resolution contains concrete provisions to force the aggressor state to release Ukrainian journalists and restore justice.
“We demand that russia immediately release all Ukrainian journalists illegally held in russian prisons and in the occupied territories, and end the years-long practice of torture, killings, and persecution of journalists. At the same time, we called on Council of Europe member states to support international accountability mechanisms: the Register of Damage, the Claims Commission, and the creation of a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression. Sanctions pressure must be strengthened against all those involved in crimes against journalists,” Kravchuk underlined.
She added that sanctions should target both high-ranking officials and lower-level perpetrators.
“The resolution also calls for restitution and for russia to pay reparations, in particular for destroyed media offices and television towers. Let me remind you that in 2022 there were numerous russian attacks on media infrastructure aimed at depriving people of access to truthful information,” Kravchuk concluded.