The Temporary Investigative Commission reported the lack of protection for civilian journalists kidnapped and tortured by the Russian Federation

A draft Resolution No. 15292 dated June 3, 2026, on the report of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on investigating crimes committed by armed formations of the Russian Federation against journalists and other media workers based on six months of activity has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada.

The Temporary Investigative Commission of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on investigating crimes against journalists in its interim report drew attention to a problem that remains less visible than statistics on killings or destruction of editorial offices.

It concerns the situation of civilian journalists whom the Russian Federation illegally holds in places of detention.

The commission states that the Russian Federation illegally holds at least 26 Ukrainian journalists and media workers. Some of them have been in captivity for over ten years.

Among the identified problems, the commission cites the lack of systematic access for the International Committee of the Red Cross, unconfirmed locations of detainees, prolonged isolation, de facto inaccessibility of international monitoring, and systemic risks of torture.

During one of the commission’s meetings, it was reported that the International Committee of the Red Cross officially confirmed only one person out of the 26 journalists and media workers illegally held by Russia. The report notes that this was one of the most critical findings of the meeting.

The commission paid special attention to the legal status of civilian journalists. The report states that they are in an especially vulnerable position because, unlike prisoners of war, they do not have effective international protection procedures, and the possibilities for international monitoring of their detention are significantly limited.

During the discussion of this issue, the commission separately analyzed the difference between prisoners of war and illegally detained civilian journalists.

The commission also highlighted a number of problems faced by illegally detained civilian journalists.

Among them are the absence of formalized exchange procedures, limited international mechanisms of influence, difficulty in confirming the location of detainees, high risk of isolation and torture, as well as restricted access for international missions.

The report states that persecution of journalists is not limited to illegal detention. According to the commission, the Russian Federation uses kidnapping, illegal detentions, enforced disappearances, torture, isolation, pseudo-judicial mechanisms, and in absentia criminal prosecutions.

The commission also recorded at least 35 cases of instrumentalization of criminal prosecution. According to the commission, such mechanisms are applied both to Ukrainian journalists and foreign correspondents.

It was separately noted that persecution concerns not only professional journalists in the narrow sense.

All civilians who:

• gather information;
• record crimes;
• document violations;
• transmit data outside

are under threat.

In the final report, the commission concluded that the Russian Federation conducts a systematic, targeted, and multi-level policy of persecution against journalists and media workers. Among the tools of such persecution are illegal detention, torture, enforced disappearances, pseudo-judicial prosecution, and criminalization of professional activities.

Among the commission’s recommendations are strengthening international advocacy for illegally detained journalists, ensuring access for international humanitarian missions, legal protection for civilian journalists, and international monitoring of detention sites.

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