PACE called on Russia to release 26 Ukrainian journalists from captivity. PHOTOS
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has called on Russia to release 26 Ukrainian journalists from captivity.
According to Censor.NET, this was reported by a member of the Verkhovna Rada's permanent delegation to PACE, Yevhenia Kravchuk (Servant of the People faction).
It is noted that the PACE has recorded that Russia has committed more than 800 crimes against media workers since 24 February 2022.
Kravchuk said that the PACE had adopted a resolution authored by her "Journalists matter: the need to intensify efforts to release Ukrainian journalists held captive by the Russian Federation". 128 PACE delegates voted in favour of the resolution.
"This document is about the fate of specific people. And about specific crimes committed by Russia against Ukraine and Ukrainians," she stressed.
Thus, the document states that since the beginning of the full-scale war:
- More than 800 crimes against journalists and the media have been recorded;
- at least 108 journalists have been killed;
- 26 Ukrainian journalists are still in Russian captivity (the resolution contains a list of their names, places and dates of detention).
The resolution contains specific provisions for an action plan to force the aggressor to release people and restore justice.
What they demand from Russia:
- Immediately release all Ukrainian journalists illegally detained in Russian prisons and in the occupied territories;
- Provide information on the whereabouts and health status of prisoners, and allow the ICRC to visit them;
- Stop the practice of torture, murder and persecution of journalists, which has been going on for years - first in the occupied Crimea, and from 2022 onwards in other territories.
In addition, the member states of the Council of Europe are calling:
- Support international accountability mechanisms: Register of Damages, Commission for Review of Claims, establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression; implementation of the ECHR judgements in inter-state cases Ukraine v. Russia.
- Support Ukrainian journalists: financially, through mentoring programmes, and by integrating those who were forced to leave into European newsrooms.
- To use the capabilities of the International Criminal Court and the principle of universal jurisdiction to bring Russian officials to justice.
- Support the work of national human rights institutions.
- Increase sanctions pressure on all those involved in crimes against journalists. What is very important is that sanctions should be applied to both high-ranking officials and lower-ranking perpetrators: commanders of operational groups of the Russian armed forces; chiefs of staff and deputy commanders; unit commanders; fleet commanders (including the Black Sea Fleet); officials of the General Staff and the GRU leadership; heads and staff of detention facilities; the leadership of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service; officials responsible for media control and propaganda in the occupied territories.
For the first time, the PACE Resolution uses the term "civilian journalists". In particular, it notes that civilian journalists in Crimea are taking daily risks to cover the events of the occupation. For the most part, these are not professional journalists, but Crimean Tatar activists and relatives of political prisoners, most of whom are forced to work anonymously for their safety. They are often the victims of persecution," Kravchuk said.
The Resolution also introduces an annual commemoration ceremony in PACE - "Victory for Victoria".
"This will be a special day during the autumn session when we will honour journalists and war correspondents who risk their own lives in the performance of their professional duty. The name was chosen in honour of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, who was captured by the Russian military, tortured and killed in captivity. She told her story during her speech. "Victory for Victoria is about the victory of truth over lies and freedom over terror," she added.
It is noted that Vladyslav Yesypenko and Dmytro Khylyuk, Ukrainian journalists who were returned from captivity, were present at the debate and voting today.
