The European Union is appalled by the reports about the death of Ukrainian freelance journalist Victoria Roshchyna while in illegal arbitrary Russian detention. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and colleagues.

Viktoria Roshchyna was a renowned Ukrainian journalist, covering Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. She was a recipient of the “Courage in Journalism Award” for her work and was determined to bring the truth about Russia’s brutal war of aggression and its illegal occupation of Ukraine to the world. Her fate is a tragic reminder of the many thousands of persons detained in occupied Ukrainian territories and Russia, as well as the repression imposed by Russian authorities, also in Russia.

According to the available information, Victoria Roshchyna died while being transferred to Moscow from a prison in Taganrog. When arbitrarily detaining Ms Roshchyna’s in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories in August 2023, the Russian authorities assumed full responsibility for her safety, health and physical integrity. She is the thirteenth journalist to be killed since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The EU demands a thorough and independent investigation that clarifies all the circumstances of Victoria Roshchyna’s death as soon as possible.

The EU remains deeply concerned about Russia's ongoing harassment, intimidation and violence against journalists and media workers covering war zones and frontlines. For them, safety and protection must be ensured at all times. We firmly condemn the killings, physical attacks, arbitrary detentions, online and offline intimidation, harassment, and surveillance, that journalists at times face while exercising their profession. There can be no impunity for human rights violations and abuses against journalists.

The EU reiterates its firm commitment to holding to account all perpetrators and accomplices of war crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.