"What you are doing is very important!" Nariman Celal at NUJU • NUJU

A Crimean politician and journalist, Deputy Chairperson of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People, Nariman Celal, who spent almost three years in russian captivity, is convinced of the fact that the status of a journalist increases the chances of release.

On August 19, the Crimean colleague was congratulated for the first time after his release by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU). The meeting was attended by the President of the NUJU, Sergiy Tomilenko; the First Secretary of the NUJU, Lina Kushch; the Secretary of the NUJU and famous Crimean journalist Mykola Semena; the representative of the headquarters of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) Anna Dovha, who is currently in Ukraine, and the wife of the captured Ukrainian journalist Serhii Tsyhipa, Olena Tsyhipa.

“Your attention and the attention of our society to the fate of journalists who made real informational resistance to the occupiers, who made, I can say, a feat, is a guarantee that at least one more journalist’s name will be added to the list of those who will be released,” said Nariman Celal.

He noted that thanks to the events in the Kursk Oblast, the exchange fund of Ukraine has increased, and this gives additional hope for the release of journalists, including journalists.

Nariman Celal also emphasized that any mention of those who are in russian captivity gives them strength to hold on.

“A high rating from other people adds confidence that you did everything correctly, and this helps you feel more or less protected, including from psychological pressure,” said Nariman. “Because in captivity, other prisoners always say to you: “Why did you do that? You had had to stay quiet and nothing would have happened to you.” So, a person who does not have internal strength, an internal foundation, can begin to “fail.” This is very bad. Therefore, what you do is extremely important!”

Sergiy Tomilenko presents the guest with a T-shirt with NUJU’s slogan. Photo by NUJU

Nariman Celal stressed that attention to the captured journalists does not create additional risks for them, as some believe.

“Believe me, there are no specific risks for journalists. There are risks for any of our prisoners,” said the Crimean colleague.

According to him, the russian regime in the long-occupied Crimea has more or less stabilized, while in the newly occupied territories, in particular, Kherson Region and Zaporizhzhia Region, it is particularly “savage.”

“People trapped there must be rescued!” stressed Nariman Celal.

He also made a note in the NUJU guest book: “On behalf of all imprisoned journalists, thank you for your attention and support! Do not stop and demand the release of our colleagues! Journalists are important! N. Celal”

Nariman Celal making an entry in NUJU’s guest book. Photo by NUJU

Olena Tsyhipa, the wife of Ukrainian journalist and prisoner of the Kremlin, Serhii Tsyhipa, spoke about her own experience of supporting her imprisoned husband and his experience of receiving information from the outside in russian places of detention.

The Secretary of the NUJU / former prisoner of the Kremlin, Mykola Semena, emphasized the importance of cooperation with international journalistic organizations in matters of the release of imprisoned journalists.

“At our level, we talk a lot about the need to stop the torture of captured Ukrainians, about the release of Ukrainian journalists. But this work becomes much more effective when international organizations, such as the International and European Federations of Journalists, join the cause,” Mykola Semena emphasized. “All the liberations we achieved took place with the participation of international organizations or other states.”

He also emphasized the importance of finding new forms of influence on russia.

And the representative of the EFJ headquarters, Anna Dovha, spoke about the importance of the work on the release of journalists from russian captivity.

“We politically support the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine; we help transfer information from the NUJU to European institutions,” Anna Dovha said. “I believe that we should expand our dialogue with people who have experience of captivity, injury, and work on the front lines. This experience touches not only your mind but also your heart….”