More than 100 Ukrainian and foreign journalists have been in Russian captivity since 2014, — IMI

On Journalist's Day, the Ukrainian Association of Professional Photographers honors the memory of all media workers killed in the Russian-Ukrainian war, as well as remembers colleagues who are illegally held captive by the enemy.

Since 2014, the Russians have been arresting and kidnapping Ukrainian media in the temporarily occupied territories. As of June 2024, at least 28 media workers are imprisoned in the Russian Federation or in the temporarily occupied territories. This is reported by National Union of Journalists.

“The Russian armed forces detained and threatened... categories of civilians perceived as opponents of the occupation, including journalists, civil servants, officials and civil rights activists,” the statement said. report from March 20, 2024, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Director of the Institute of Mass Information (IMI) Oksana Romaniuk at the press conference “Illegal detention, torture, captivity: how and why Russia is waging war against Ukrainian media” reported that more than 100 Ukrainian and foreign journalists have been in Russian captivity since 2014. “What Russia is doing is definitely a crime. I would say that this is a crime of genocide, since we see the filtering of citizens on a specific basis. Therefore, it is very important that international organizations are actively involved in helping Ukraine,” said the director of IMI.

Information Service of NSJU reports on 28 civilian journalists held captive by the Russian Federation:

1. Bessarabov Alexey,Ukrainian journalist and political analyst, former serviceman of the Ukrainian Navy. He lived in Sevastopol, worked as a correspondent for the publication “Glavred”, collaborated with the analytical center “Nomos”, was deputy editor-in-chief of the magazine “Black Sea Security”. Detained by the FSB on November 9, 2016 on charges of sabotage and terrorist activities. He was tortured with electric current. On April 4, 2019, for an obviously falsified case, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison in a strict regime colony.
2. Dudka Volodymyr,Ukrainian Navy sailor, safety engineer, political analyst, collaborated with the magazine “Black Sea Security”. Detained by the FSB on November 9, 2016 on charges of sabotage and terrorist activities. He was tortured with electric current. On April 4, 2019, for an obviously falsified case, he was sentenced to 14 years in prison in a strict regime colony.
3. Shtyblykov Dmytro,Ukrainian journalist, reserve officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, head of international programs of the analytical center “Nomos”, deputy editor-in-chief of the magazine “Black Sea Security”. Detained by the FSB on November 9, 2016 on charges of sabotage and terrorist activities. In May 2017, under duress and threats against family members, he entered into a pre-trial agreement, pleading “guilty”. On November 16, 2017, he was sentenced to 5 years in prison with serving time in a strict regime colony. On November 8, 2021, when he was due to go free, he was arrested on charges of “treason” and left in custody.
4. Ametov Ernes,citizen journalist, actively covered human rights violations in the occupied Crimea. Arrested on October 11, 2017 on charges of participating in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. On September 16, 2020, he was acquitted, but the appeals court on March 14, 2022 overturned the acquittal. December 29, 2022 received a sentence of 11 years Imprisonment.
5. Asanov Marlen (Suleyman), photographer, popularizer of Crimean Tatar culture and citizen journalist, actively covered searches and trials. He was arrested on October 11, 2017 on charges of participating in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. He received a sentence of 19 years in prison in a strict regime colony. Due to the conditions of detention and a long stay in the penitentiary, he often gets sick.
6. Ibragimov Timur, a citizen journalist, actively covered human rights violations in the occupied Crimea. He was arrested on October 11, 2017 on charges of participating in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. He received a sentence of 17 years in prison in a strict regime colony.
7. Saliev Seyran,citizen journalist, actively covered searches and trials. He was arrested on October 11, 2017 on charges of participating in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. He received a sentence of 15 years in prison in a strict regime colony.
8. Mustafayev Server, human rights activist, one of the organizers and coordinators of Crimean Solidarity, citizen journalist, conducted systematic monitoring of the situation in Crimea and covered politically motivated trials in the media. He was arrested on May 21, 2018 on charges of participating in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. He received a sentence of 14 years in prison in a strict regime colony. He filed a number of lawsuits for the confiscation of the Koran and personal belongings, lack of adequate medical care and other violations of the leadership of “correctional” institutions.
9. Suleimanov Ruslan, a citizen journalist, covered human rights violations in the occupied Crimea. He was arrested on March 27, 2019 on charges of participating in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. He received a sentence of 14 years in prison in a strict regime colony.
10. Sheikhaliev Rustem, a citizen journalist, covered human rights violations in the occupied Crimea, primarily the “trials”. He was arrested on March 27, 2019 on charges of participating in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. Despite severe illness (chronic pyelonephritis, prolapse of the right kidney, varicose veins on the legs), he received a sentence of 14 years in prison in a strict regime colony.
11. Bekirov Remzi,citizen journalist, correspondent”Grani.ru”, covered the high-profile cases against the Crimean Tatars in the occupied Crimea. He was arrested on March 28, 2019 on charges of participating in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. He received a sentence of 19 years in prison in a strict regime colony.
12. Arifmemetov Osman, writer, winner of literary competitions, citizen journalist, actively covered searches and trials, helped to make transfers to the detention center for unjustly convicted Crimean Tatars. He was arrested on March 28, 2019 on charges of participating in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. He received a sentence of 14 years in prison in a strict regime colony.
13. Yesipenko Vladyslav,journalist of the project “Crimea.Realities” “Radio Svoboda”. Arrested on March 10, 2021, after filming the laying of flowers at the monument to T. Shevchenko in Simferopol; for a month his relatives did not know what was wrong with him. He was charged first with espionage and later with storing and transporting an explosive device. Vladislav was electrocuted and threatened with murder. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison in a general regime colony. The case of Vladislav Yesipenko, in fact, became a “methodology” for fabricating cases against other journalists. Winner of the National Prize for the Protection of Freedom of Speech named after Igor Lubchenko in 2022.
14. Suleymanov Amet,citizen journalist, covered human rights violations in the occupied Crimea. He was arrested on March 12, 2020 on charges of participating in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. Despite severe heart disease (doctors recommended replacing the heart mitral valve), he received a sentence of 12 years imprisonment in a strict regime colony. He was under house arrest, and after the sentence came into force (from April 5, 2023) — in prison. It is kept in conditions that contribute to the exacerbation of the disease.
15. Akhtemov Asan,Crimean journalist, correspondent and assistant editor of the newspaper “Avdet”. Detained on September 3, 2021 on charges of blowing up a gas pipeline near Simferopol. He was subjected to torture and psychological pressure from FSB officers. Despite the obvious falsification of “evidence”, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison in a strict regime colony.
16. Dzhelyal Nariman, a Crimean journalist, worked for the TV channel “ATR”, in the newspaper “Avdet”. Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people. Detained on September 4, 2021 on charges of blowing up a gas pipeline near Simferopol. Despite the obvious falsification of “evidence”, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison in a strict regime colony.
17. Khyliuk Dmytro, a UNIAN journalist, captured by the Russian military on March 3, 2022 in his parents' neighborhood in the village of Kozarovichi, Vyshgorod district, Kiev region. No formal charges have been brought against him. According to the investigation of Reporters Without Borders, as of July 2023, he was detained in one of the correctional institutions of the Vladimir region of the Russian Federation.
18. Tsygipa Serhii,a public figure, a journalist from Novaya Kakhovka, detained on March 12, 2022, on charges of espionage by the decision of the occupying Simferopol “court” on October 6, 2023, received a 13-year prison term. On February 14, 2024, the appellate “court” upheld this sentence.
19. Danylovych Iryna, Crimean nurse, trade union and public activist, citizen journalist of the Crimean Process. Abducted in Koktebel on April 29, 2022; held in the basement, subjected to torture and intimidation. She is charged with manufacturing and storing a homemade explosive device. She received a sentence of 7 years in prison. In prison, her health deteriorated greatly, she lost her hearing, suffered a stroke. Due to lack of medical care, she declared a dry hunger strike.
20. Temeryanov Vilén, citizen journalist, later journalist of the publication”Grani.ru”, actively covered human rights violations in the occupied Crimea. Arrested on August 11, 2022 on charges of participation in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, which is recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. In prison, he was subjected to forced psychiatric examination; in addition, the journalist had a sharp deterioration in his eyesight. As of April 2024, the verdict has not yet been handed down.
21. Levchenko Irina, a journalist from Melitopol, detained on May 6, 2023 along with her husband Alexander. What she is accused of and where she is being held is not known for certain.
22. Roshchyna Viktoriia, freelance journalist, cooperated with “Ukrainska Pravda”, “Hromadsky Radio”, “Radio Svoboda”. She was in Russian captivity twice. The first captivity — March 16-22, 2022, detained in Berdyansk. Victoria disappeared for the second time on August 3, 2023 in the occupied territory, from where she planned to report. Russia has admitted to detaining Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation sent confirmation to her father, Vladimir Roshchin.
23. Levchenko Heorhii, administrator of the RIA Melitopol telegram channel, was arrested by the FSB in Melitopol on August 20, 2023 as a “Ukrainian terrorist”, as recorded in a Russian propaganda video. Where the journalist is being held is currently unknown.
24. Hlukhovskaya Anastasia,before a full-scale invasion — a journalist of RIA Melitopol, arrested by the FSB in Melitopol on August 20, 2023, as recorded in a Russian propaganda video. But officially the FSB does not recognize the detention of Anastasia. Where it is kept is unknown.
25. Suvorova Yana, administrator of the Telegram channel “Melitopol is Ukraine”, was arrested by the FSB on August 20, 2023, as a “Ukrainian terrorist”, as recorded in a Russian propaganda video. Where it is kept is unknown.
26. Osmanov Rustem, a citizen journalist, covered human rights violations in the occupied Crimea. He was arrested on March 5, 2024 on charges of participating in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. The Russian “Kiev District Court” of Simferopol chose him a preventive measure in the form of detention for two months.
27. Azizov Aziz, a citizen journalist, covered human rights violations in the occupied Crimea. He was arrested on March 5, 2024 on charges of participating in the Muslim organization “Hizb ut-Tahrir”, recognized in Russia as “terrorist”. The Russian “Kiev District Court” of Simferopol chose him a preventive measure in the form of detention for two months.
28. Osmak Hennadii, journalist from Genichesk, former editor-in-chief of “New Visit”. On March 12, 2022, he announced the termination of his work in the media. On March 7, 2024, it became known about his detention for “participation in an illegal military group” (“popularization of the terrorist battalion named after Noman Chelebidji Khan”). He faces up to 15 years in prison.

‍

Information Service of NSJU reports about two journalists who were captured while in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

1. Butkevych Maksim, human rights activist, journalist, founder of the human rights center Zmina and Hromadske Radio. With the beginning of a full-scale aggression, he was mobilized, in June 2022 he was captured. In March 2023, he was sentenced to 13 years in prison on a falsified charge of wounding civilians. On March 13, 2024, the Court of Cassation left this sentence in force.
2. Hudilin Oleksandr, journalist of the Mariupol edition 0629.com. With the outbreak of full-scale war, he mobilized for territorial defense and guarded various facilities in Mariupol. On April 12, 2022, he was captured. Donetsk regional organization of the National Assembly of Ukraine insists on the immediate release of Alexander.

‍

Also, after the fighting near Chasov Yar of Donetsk region, the employee did not return from the combat mission ”Ukrainian News” — commander of a mechanized company, junior lieutenant of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Petrakovskyi. According to the publication with reference to Alexander's brothers and relatives, in the last battle he went to the head of the group. The position was taken quickly, but, unfortunately, not for long. “A mine flew into the dungeon. No one came out of it anymore. They were looking for the injured by the Copter. Our two went to pick up bodies, but without success. The position is now under the enemy,” the combatants said.

‍

Sky Photographers. Documentarians, naturalists and commercial photographers who were killed by the Russians in the war. Eternal memory of the brave and talented photographers who died documenting the Russian invasion, or defending their country with a gun in their hands instead of a camera.

‍

‍

‍

The material was worked on:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Vira Labych
Literary Editor: Julia Futei
Site Manager: Vladislav Kuhar