Ukraine: Women Press Freedom Condemns 2nd Detention of Editor Zhanna Kyseliova by Russian Forces
Kyseliova’s whereabouts currently unknown
Location: Ukraine, Kakhovka
Date: June 27, 2024
Women Press Freedom vehemently condemns the unlawful detention of Zhanna Kyseliova, editor of the Kakhovska Zoria newspaper, by Russian military forces. This latest incident, occurring on June 27, 2024, in Kakhovka, Kherson, marks the second time Kyseliova has been unjustly detained. As of now, her whereabouts remain unknown, raising grave concerns for her safety and well-being. The detention of Zhanna Kyseliova is not an isolated incident but part of a broader campaign to intimidate and eliminate independent journalism. This aggressive crackdown on press freedom not only threatens the lives of journalists but also undermines the fundamental right to information and the principles of democracy. Women Press Freedom calls on the international community to intervene urgently and demand the immediate release of Zhanna Kyseliova and to apply diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia to cease its targeted actions against journalists.
Russian military forces detained Zhanna Kyseliova, editor of the Kakhovska Zoria newspaper, on June 27, 2024, in Kakhovka, Kherson, following a raid on her apartment. This marks the second time Kyseliova has been detained by Russian military personnel. Previously, she was detained in September 2022 and held in a basement for nearly a month, although details about her detention during that period remain unclear. Her current whereabouts are unknown.
Kyseliova has long been the driving force behind the Kakhovska Zoria, a local newspaper. Serhiy Tomilenko, head of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU), emphasized Kyseliova's principled stance and dedication to journalistic integrity, adding that due to her principles and strong sense of justice, she once had conflicts with local authorities, which prevented the municipal newspaper from being denationalized.
The detention of Kyseliova is part of a broader pattern of targeted actions against journalists since the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. As documented by Women Press Freedom, journalists have been subject to missile attacks, detentions, and harassment by Russian forces. Among the casualties are Victoria Amelia and Oksana Baulina, who were killed in missile strikes. Prominent Ukrainian journalist Victoria Roshchyna has faced unjust detentions, and Lutfiye Zudiyeva, a well-known Tatar journalist, has been repeatedly harassed by occupying Russian forces. Zudiyeva was detained in February after a police raid on her home, fined for Facebook posts, and briefly detained last year for covering a court hearing involving three Tatar activists.
The detention of Zhanna Kyseliova is a grave violation of press freedom and human rights. Women Press Freedom calls on the international community to take immediate and decisive action to secure her release.
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