"Our task is to create an agenda where there are no "good russians"

Solidarity is the constant slogan of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU).

According to NUJU President Sergiy Tomilenko and First Secretary Lina Kushch, it is necessary to continue talking about colleagues who are currently in russian captivity. For this, we must do everything to keep these important issues on the agenda both in Ukraine and abroad.

On the eve of World Press Freedom Day, the NUJU held an Action in support of imprisoned journalists at the Kyiv Journalists’ Solidarity Center (JSC). The event was also attended by earlier-russian-imprisoned media workers: Liudmyla Huseinova, Oleksandr Hunko, Olena Tsyhipa – the wife of Serhii Tsyhipa, illegally imprisoned by russia, journalist Lidiya Tarash from Volnovakha, who was persecuted by the occupiers, and other colleagues.

“Our task is to shape the agenda so that there is no place for “good russians” who are in Europe and other parts of the world. We have to come out with our infomercials; otherwise, the same “good russians” will cover everything with their pitiful stories,” Lina Kushch addressed the participants during the joint signing of posters of captured media workers.

According to Sergiy Tomilenko, russians are “suffering miserably” in Riga, Vilnius, Paris, and other cities, diverting attention from the critically important topic of Ukrainian prisoners. They begin to tell how they were persecuted in russia. Thus, they create an agenda opposite to ours, with an emphasis on supporting russian journalists who are hiding around the world.

More than 30 Ukrainian media persons are in captivity as a result of illegal detentions, captures, false accusations, and falsified “trials” of the russian occupiers on the territory of Ukraine. Currently, it is known that some of them are subjected to torture and threats and are kept in inhumane conditions. There is still no information about anyone since the abduction.

“After a considerable number of discussions and statements, political women prisoners were stopped from being kept with criminal ones. About 15 people who were held there without trial or investigation were released from prisons. However, they were unable to leave the occupied territories. We have to form an agenda, and for this, we need to single out clear steps,” notes human rights defender, former prisoner, citizen journalist, and communications director of the SEMA Ukraine non-governmental organization Liudmyla Huseinova.

“I know how hard it is there, but freedom is coming soon! Hold on!” are the words she left next to the photo of the captured journalist Viktoria Roshchina, who disappeared in August 2023 during a trip to the occupied territories.

The participants also expressed their support and faith in the release of nurse and citizen journalist from Crimea, Iryna Danylovych, Crimean prisoner of conscience Server Mustafayev, Krym.Realii freelancer Vladislav Yesypenko, imprisoned journalist from Melitopol Iryna Levchenko, and UNIAN correspondent Dmytro Khilyuk kidnapped by russia in the first days of the full-scale intrusion. In addition, the wife of journalist and activist from Nova Kakhovka, Serhii Tsyhipa, Olena, joined the solidarity action. She left the following message: “We are fighting for your return! We believe that soon we will be able to hug you on our native land.”

“We call on the governments of democratic countries and international organizations to express solidarity with the captured journalists and to strengthen measures of a diplomatic and sanction nature in order to force the russian regime to immediately release all Ukrainian media persons who are being held captive. As a first step, it is necessary to make joint efforts to establish the whereabouts of all Ukrainian journalists who have gone missing in the occupied territory,” Sergiy Tomilenko wrote on his Facebook page after the event.

Journalism is not a crime! Journalists are important!