An award-winning Ukrainian journalist held in Russian captivity for greater than a 12 months was confirmed useless, authorities introduced this week.
Victoria Roshchyna, 27, went lacking in August 2023 after touring to Russian-occupied japanese Ukraine for reporting.
A contract journalist, her work on the entrance traces shed a light-weight on life in Ukraine below Russian occupation early on within the invasion, which started in 2022.
Roshchyna was lacking till April, when her father obtained a letter from Moscow’s protection ministry claiming she was being held in Russian detention, based on studies.
Even then, the small print of her arrest and precisely the place she was being held remained unknown.
“Sadly, details about Victoria’s demise has been confirmed,” Petro Yatsenko, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Therapy of Prisoners of Struggle, mentioned on Thursday.
Russian information outlet Mediazona reported that she died whereas being transferred to Moscow from a jail close to the Ukrainian border.
A letter her household allegedly obtained from Russia’s protection ministry mentioned she died on Sept. 19, based on the group Reporters With out Borders.
Roshchyna was purported to be a part of a prisoner alternate, based on Ukrainian army intelligence spokesperson Andriy Yusov. “All the things needed had been finished” for the swap, he mentioned.
The Ukrainian Prosecutor Normal’s workplace mentioned it had up to date its war-crime investigation into Roshchyna’s disappearance to incorporate homicide.
The European Union demanded “an intensive and unbiased investigation that clarifies all of the circumstances” of her demise, based on a press release.
“Her destiny is a tragic reminder of the numerous 1000’s of individuals detained in occupied Ukrainian territories and Russia, in addition to the repression imposed by Russian authorities,” the EU mentioned.
Roshchyna was awarded the Braveness in Journalism award in 2022 by the Worldwide Ladies’s Media Basis for her reporting.
“We hope her demise won’t be in useless,” the group mentioned in a press release. “The worldwide group should strain Russia to stop focusing on journalists and silencing press freedom.”
1000’s of Ukrainian civilians and journalists are being held with out expenses in Russian custody with out entry to authorized counsel, BBC Russia reported in January.
With Submit wires
