The Torturing and Death of Ukrainian Journalist Viktoria Roshchyna

 

Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity, was tortured and had organs removed before her body was returned, according to a joint media report published Tuesday through Forbidden Stories, a nonprofit media organization.

In February, Russia returned Roshchyna's emaciated body with signs of torture and some organs removed, possibly to hide further traces of torture, said the report by media outlets including The Washington Post, The Guardian, Ukrainska Pravda, and stories, citing Ukrainian prosecutors.

The forensic examination "revealed numerous signs of torture and ill-treatment", the prosecutors were quoted as saying. These included "a broken rib, neck injuries, and possible electric shock marks on her feet," according to Yuriy Belousov, head of the War Crimes Unit at the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's office. Despite a high DNA match, the journalist's father does not believe the body is his daughter's and he has requested further forensic analyses.

Roshchyna went missing in 2023 while in Russian-occupied territories in southeast Ukraine investigating alleged torture prisons. She was 27 years old at the time.

Ukrainian journalists rarely go to Russian-occupied areas because of the high risks. Roshchyna is the first known Ukrainian journalist to die in Russian captivity.

Ukraine urged the international community to respond to the report. "The issue of civilian hostages abducted and held by Russia requires increased international attention and immediate and strong response," foreign ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhy said.

Thousands of Ukrainian civilians are held in Russian prisons or in occupied areas of Ukraine, where many are tortured and deprived of correspondence, according to NGOs and media reports. Last year, BBC Russia reported that thousands of Ukrainian civilians, including journalists, in Russian custody were being held without charges or access to legal counsel.

Who was Viktoria Roshchyna?

Roshchyna worked as a freelancer for various independent news outlets, including Ukrainska Pravda, and had collaborated with the Ukrainian service of U.S.-funded media outlet Radio Free Europe.

In March 2022, Roshchyna was detained by Russian forces for 10 days while reporting in southeastern Ukraine, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

In 2022, she was awarded the Courage in Journalism award by the International Women's Media Foundation for her reporting in east Ukraine.

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned Moscow for Roshchyna's death. 

"Victoria's passing is not just the loss of a remarkable woman, but of an intrepid witness to history," the group said in a statement after her death. "Regardless of her cause of death, we can say with certainty that her life was taken because she dared tell the truth. We hope her death will not be in vain: the international community must pressure Russia to cease targeting journalists and silencing press freedom."

"Responsibility for her death lies with the Russian authorities, who detained her for daring to report the truth on the Russia-Ukraine war," CPJ's Europe and Central Asia program coordinator said in a statement. "Ukrainian and Russian authorities must do everything in their power to investigate Roshchyna's death."

CBS News