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Two Ukrainian journalists, Heorhiy Levtchenko and Vladyslav Hershon, were sentenced last week by Russian courts to 16 and 15 years in prison, respectively, following two years of detention. The pair were arrested in August 2023 in the occupied Ukrainian city of Melitopol, alongside other media professionals linked to Ukrainian Telegram channels. Their reported offense: publishing factual coverage of Russia’s full-scale invasion without aligning with Kremlin narratives.
Three additional journalists detained in the same operation remain in custody awaiting trial. One of them, Anastasia Hloukhovska, has been missing since her arrest. Human rights groups have raised alarm over the treatment of detained Ukrainian media workers, citing denial of medical care, forced labor, and life-threatening conditions. The death of journalist Victoria Roshchyna in Russian captivity in September 2024 underscores the risks faced by those imprisoned.
Currently, 26 Ukrainian journalists are held by Russian authorities in occupied territories or within Russia. Advocacy organizations warn that these prosecutions reflect a broader effort to suppress independent reporting and silence dissenting voices.
Calls for international support continue, with press freedom advocates urging action to protect journalists, investigate disappearances, and restore independent Ukrainian media outlets.
