Verkhovna Rada adopts a resolution calling international organizations to facilitate the release of captive journalists

The Verkhovna Rada adopted a resolution calling on international organizations to facilitate the release of Ukrainian journalists held hostage by Russia.

The decision was supported by the parliament with 293 votes, reported on Facebook Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, head of the Committee on Freedom of Speech.

According to him, with this resolution, the Verkhovna Rada appealed to the UN team in Ukraine, the European Parliament, the OSCE delegation in Ukraine, NATO, the international organization "Reporters Without Borders" and other international organizations that can help free the journalists.

"As the Chairman of the Committee on Freedom of Speech, I prioritize the release of our hostages in my work," Yurchyshyn emphasized.

He explained that the issues with the "United Marathon", equal access to information for all TV channels, access to the Verkhovna Rada for journalists are Ukraine's domestic issues which can be solved independently.

"But it will certainly be very difficult for us to release the over 26 journalists held hostage by the Kremlin on our own. The names of Vladyslav Yesypenko, Dmytro Khyliuk, Victoria Roshchyna, and Iryna Danylovych should be heard all over the world, as they unlawfully remain in Russian prisons. Only international publicity and pressure from the world's most authoritative organizations can sway Russia," said the Chairman of the Freedom of Speech Committee.

According to Yurchyshyn, so far the Committee knows about 26 media workers who were unlawfully imprisoned by Russia. The Committee and the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of POWs are working to verify reports about two more media workers.

According to the IMI monitoring data, in the two years and two months since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has committed 589 crimes against journalists and media in Ukraine.

As of today, according to IMI, at least 29 Ukrainian journalists are being held captive by the Russians.