MIHR urges heightened pressure on russia for release of Ukrainian media workers held unlawfully

Reports reveal that russia currently detains 29 Ukrainian civilian journalists, including Dmytro Khyliuk of UNIAN, who was forcibly taken by russian forces on March 3, 2022, amidst the seizure of the Kyiv region, subsequently transported into russian territory. To secure the freedom of these Ukrainian journalists, urgent action, particularly from the international community, is imperative.

Tetiana Katrychenko, Executive Director of the Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR), underscored this necessity during a briefing at the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform.

“Once more, we encourage our colleagues, including members of the National Union of Journalists, to stress the importance of distinguishing journalists and media workers. It’s crucial to address them separately, highlighting their professional commitment and the circumstances surrounding their detention, which stem from their efforts to seek and disseminate information. We urge our colleagues, to assist their families and journalists’ associations in reaching out to pertinent international bodies to bolster pressure for the release of these media workers. Our aim is to amplify this call so that it resonates within the russian federation, leaving no alternative but to heed our demands,” emphasized Tatiana Katrychenko.

It’s worth noting that, according to Ukraine’s Institute of Mass Information, over 100 Ukrainian and foreign journalists have been apprehended by russia since 2014.

Read more: https://mediacenter.org.ua/news