Yurchyshyn: Committee on Foreign Policy supports the resolution on journalists taken prisoner by Russia

The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Interparliamentary Cooperation supported the resolution on journalists captured and held hostage by Russia, submitted by Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, the Chairman of the Freedom of Speech Committee.

This decision was unanimously adopted at a Committee meeting on March 6, Yurchyshyn reported on Facebook.

According to him, the unlawful imprisonment of at least 26 media workers by Russia has been reported.

"So we are looking for ways to get them and other hostages of the Putin regime back. Vladyslav Yesypenko, Dmytro Khyliuk, Victoria Roshchynk, Iryna Danylovych – these names everyone should be hearing constantly. Because that's the only way we can achieve their release," the deputy wrote.

Yurchyshyn explains that with this resolution they want to enlist the support of all possible partners: the UN in Ukraine, European Parliament, NATO, OSCE in Ukraine, "Reporters without Borders", anyone who might help and give the issue global traction.

"In 2019, Ukraine managed to bring home Oleh Sentsov. Back then, the international involvement was an important factor. Now I expect that the resolution will be included in the agenda at the next meeting. We have to pass it as soon as possible," said the chairman of the Freedom of Speech Committee.

We will remind you that in January 2024, Yaroslav Yurchyshyn announced that the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech is preparing a hearing on the investigation of crimes related to preclusion to journalistic work.

The IMI monitors Russia's crimes against the media and journalists in Ukraine. In the two years since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has committed 567 crimes against journalists and the media in Ukraine.