Ukrainian journalist's tragic death highlights Russian hostility
The death of Victoria Roshchyna underscores the harsh treatment of female journalists by Russia. Missing Ukrainian reporter Victoria Roshchyna died in Russian captivity. Her story, as reported by "The Guardian," highlights the growing issue of violence and persecution faced by female journalists in Russia.
9:23 AM EDT, November 1, 2024
Last year, 26-year-old Victoria Roshchyna disappeared while covering events in the occupied east of Ukraine. After eight months of searching, it was discovered that the Russians had detained her.
Recently, officials in Kyiv announced that Roshchyna died in Russian captivity, likely during transport to Moscow from a prison in Taganrog as part of a prisoner exchange. Russia is refusing to release her body to Ukrainian authorities, complicating the investigation and leaving her family without answers about the circumstances of her death.
According to "The Guardian," Roshchyna is the ninth journalist to have lost her life since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022. Organizations such as the Coalition for Women in Journalism view this as part of a campaign of violence and intimidation against women covering the war in Ukraine.
Russia persecutes journalists
In the past five years, the Coalition has documented 64 cases of female journalists being detained by Russia on its territory or in occupied areas. Since 2022, 11 have been kidnapped, many directly from their homes. Russia is also accused of persecuting female journalists abroad, including suspected poisonings.
Detained journalists report brutal conditions, including beatings and torture. An example is Iryna Danilovych, a Crimean citizen journalist who was abducted in 2022 while investigating corruption in the healthcare system. She lost her hearing in detention.
International organizations are calling for the immediate release of Danilovych and other female journalists. They emphasize that the responsibility for the safety and well-being of detained journalists lies with the countries detaining them.
