Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna dies in Russian captivity
10 October 2024 23:36
The father of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchina has received a message about the death of his daughter in Russian captivity. This was reported by MP, chairman of the Committee on Freedom of Speech Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
Yurchyshyn noted that according to official information from the Russian authorities, this happened during the transfer from Taganrog to Moscow.
“Earlier, I wrote that I had spoken to Victoria’s father, who had received an official Russian notification of his daughter’s death. Of course, we were waiting for confirmation from the Ukrainian authorities, because we cannot trust the Russians. Now the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has confirmed that the crime was committed at the moment when Victoria was being taken for exchange,” he wrote on his Telegram channel.
Viktoriia Roshchyna was to be included in one of the next prisoner exchanges, said DIU spokesman Andriy Yusov in a comment to Suspilne. She was to be transferred to Lefortovo to prepare her return to Ukraine.
A representative of the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War in Ukraine, Petro Yatsenko, said during the telethon that the information about the journalist’s death had been confirmed.
“Indeed, we have conducted an internal investigation, and, unfortunately, this information has been confirmed,” he said.
Yatsenko added that it is too early to talk about the circumstances of Roshchyna’s death, they are being investigated. He confirmed that work was underway to free Victoria. In total, about 25 Ukrainian journalists are held in Russian captivity.
Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said that Ukraine had received official documentary confirmation from the Russian side of the death of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna. She had been in Russian captivity since last year.
“Once again, a person dies in Russian captivity, whose stay in Russian prisons was confirmed by the ICRC! It is not known why the young woman died in Russian captivity,” Lubinets said.
The Ombudsman stated that he had already informed the UN and the ICRC to record the death of a civilian illegally detained by the Russian Federation.
“Illegal detention and abduction of journalists is a weapon of the Russian Federation against freedom of speech! Russia has once again violated the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law. The international community must put pressure on Russia to bring all those responsible for the crimes to justice!” he stressed.
26-year-old Victoria Roshchyna disappeared on 3 August 2023 in the occupied territory. on 22 April 2024, the journalist’s father, Vladimir, received a letter from the Russian Ministry of Defence confirming that Victoria had been detained.
At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Roshchyna was already in Russian captivity from 15 to 21 March 2022. She was detained in occupied Berdiansk.
