The Committee to Protect Journalists submitted a statement for the record to a March 25 hearing held by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission of the U.S. Congress on the abduction of Ukrainian children and ongoing accountability efforts related to the Russia-Ukraine war. The statement highlights the impact of the war on journalists and media.
The physical safety and arbitrary detention of journalists are among the main concerns CPJ raised, drawing attention to the cases of Ukrainian journalists Anastasiya Glukhovska and Iryna Levchenko, who have been detained by Russia without charge since 2023 under conditions that include credible reports of torture, as well as physical and psychological abuse.
According to CPJ research, at least 12 Ukrainian journalists are currently held by Russia.
CPJ presented the following recommendations to the U.S. Congress and the Trump administration in support of Ukrainian journalists arbitrarily detained by Russia:
- Demand the immediate and unconditional release of all detained Ukrainian journalists, including Anastasiya Glukhovska and Iryna Levchenko, in upcoming prisoner exchanges and make this issue a diplomatic priority in the U.S.-led peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
- Press Russian authorities for full transparency regarding Glukhovska’s and Levchenko’s legal status and condition in detention.
- Call on Russia to immediately provide a full account of the circumstances surrounding the death of journalist Viktoria Roshchina, who died in Russian custody in 2024.
The statement can be read in full here.