EU condemns death of Ukrainian journalist Roshchyna in Russian captivity

EU officials have called for swift justice after the confirmed death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriya Roshchyna, who was illegally detained by Russia. Her death, reported during a transfer between Russian detention centers, is being investigated as a war crime by the Security Service of Ukraine.

Oct 11, 2024 - 23:00

EU condemns death of Ukrainian journalist Roshchyna in Russian captivity

Victoria Roshchyna, a Ukrainian freelance journalist and 2022 Courage in Journalism Award winner

The death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna in Russian captivity is a crime that cannot be unpunished, said EU Spokesperson Peter Stano, according to Ukrinform.

On 3 August 2023, Roshchyna went missing during a trip to Russian-occupied territories in Ukraine. A month earlier, the journalist went from Ukraine to Poland and was supposed to reach the occupied territories in eastern Ukraine via Russia within three days.

In 2024, Russia confirmed for the first time that it was illegally holding Roshchyna.

On 10 October, the head of the Verkhovna Rada’s Committee on Freedom of Speech, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, announced that Viktoria’s father received a notification of his daughter’s death, which occurred on 19 September.

According to official information from Russian authorities, her death happened during a transfer from a Taganrog to a Moscow detention facility.

“We are shocked by the news of the death of Ukrainian freelance journalist Viktoriya Roshchyna during her arbitrary and illegal detention by Russian authorities. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and colleagues,” said Stano.

He claimed that the EU strongly condemns the killings, physical assaults, arbitrary detentions, and any other forms of intimidation of journalists who perform their professional duties daily, often risking their lives, especially in the context of the conflict in Ukraine.

“There can be no impunity for this human and journalist rights violation,” said Stano.

He reminded that Russia is still a member of the United Nations and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, which means it should adhere to international law, international humanitarian law, and the Geneva Conventions.

The Russian authorities should follow their constitution, which guarantees rights to people in Russian prisons, including maintaining their health and physical safety, but the aggressor country ensures none of them.

“That is why we must mobilize the international community to increase pressure on Russia, forcing it to stop violating international law, the UN Charter, and all other illegal actions undertaken by the Russian regime,” added the EU spokesperson.

In connection with the information about the death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoriya Roshchyna in Russia, Ukraine opened an investigation into a war crime combined with premeditated murder.

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