Among the dead were both Ukrainian and foreign reporters. In addition, the Russians are holding captive at least 26 civilian Ukrainian media workers and one journalist who joined the defense forces.
The National Council said that they would turn to international partners, because “the problem of Russian crimes against Ukrainian journalists has acquired unprecedented proportions.”
The IPDC National Committee noted that it condemns illegal detentions, torture, murders of journalists and information attacks in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine. The committee noted that journalists serve the public’s right to the truth, and not the state or political forces, and separate them from propagandists.
The committee calls on international partners to demand the release of captive media workers, create mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable, and support Ukrainian organizations documenting crimes against journalists and ensuring their safety.
Context
The Institute of Mass Information reported that between the start of the Russian-Ukrainian war in 2014 and the Russian full-scale invasion in February 2022, seven media workers were killed.
