Photos of captured Ukrainian journalists displayed at “Imprisoned Freedom” exhibition in Paris
The project was presented to the public by CFI Director General Emmanuelle Talon and Ukrainian MP Mykyta Poturayev, according to a Ukrinform correspondent.
There are war zones, and there are those we call war reporters working there. But when history itself drags an entire country into war, then all journalists become, to one degree or another, war correspondents. I want to honor the memory of more than 106 Ukrainian journalists who lost their lives during this war. We also cannot fail to mention French reporter Anthony Lallican, who died on October 3, killed by a Russian drone strike. We do not forget his Ukrainian colleague, who miraculously survived," said CFI Développement Médias President and CEO Emmanuelle Talon at the opening.
She emphasized France's commitment to freedom of the press and journalists, recalling that it was this country that initiated the introduction of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, which is now celebrated on November 2.
The head of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy, Mykyta Poturayev, thanked the French partners for their support of the Ukrainian media.
"This exhibition is painful, but necessary. You see twenty-six faces here. We want to show the people for whom we must all continue to fight. We must not allow people around the world to forget the victims of Putin's regime, who continue to be tortured in Russian concentration camps and prisons. If we had also brought photos of those killed by the Russians, including European journalists, unfortunately, this wall would not be enough," Poturayev said.
He stressed that a just peace is only possible when the last imprisoned journalist or civil society activist, as well as all Ukrainian prisoners of war, return home alive.
The exhibition “Imprisoned Freedom” is curated by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech in cooperation with Ukrainian investigative journalists.
As reported, since 2014, at least 112 journalists have been held captive in Russia. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has been holding 30 civilian journalists.
