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February 24, 2026 – Ukraine/Russia –
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has lodged a landmark criminal complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the Ukrainian Prosecutor General alleging that Russian authorities have systematically persecuted journalists in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022. The action, announced in February 2026, marks the first time RSF has framed attacks on media professionals as crimes against humanity due to their work.
According to RSF’s complaint, Kremlin forces have deliberately targeted journalists and media infrastructure as part of a broader pattern of repression, not sporadic or accidental incidents. RSF says that since February 24, 2022, more than 175 journalists — both Ukrainian and foreign correspondents — have been killed, wounded, deported, imprisoned, or otherwise subjected to abuses directly related to their reporting from conflict zones. Evidence compiled by the organisation shows repeated bombings of hotels used by media workers, detention and deportation of journalists, and other systematic attacks that, RSF argues, amount to widespread persecution under Article 7 of the Rome Statute.
In a public statement, RSF’s Director of Advocacy and Assistance described the targeting of media professionals as part of an official policy, asserting that these actions occur “as a direct consequence of their journalistic work in Ukraine.” The complaint urges the ICC Prosecutor and Ukrainian authorities to respond with the same determination applied in prior legal actions, stressing the grave nature of allegations involving violence and repression of journalists in a major armed conflict.
The complaint notes that violations against journalists in the Ukraine conflict have occurred with alarming frequency — RSF’s data indicate that on average one or more journalists have been attacked every 11 days since the invasion began, illustrating the sustained scale of threats and abuses. RSF characterises these actions as systematic and coordinated, pointing to the deliberate nature of the attacks and their consistency with definitions of persecution as a crime against humanity under international law.
By framing the allegations as crimes against humanity, RSF and its legal partners aim to elevate accountability for attacks on press freedom to the highest level of international justice. The complaint builds on earlier RSF complaints — including cases referencing bombed media infrastructure — and broader global documentation of violence against journalists. Advocates say this step reinforces the principle that targeting journalists for reporting the facts is not merely a violation of press freedom but also a grave breach of international humanitarian and human rights law.
The ICC has jurisdiction over such cases through Ukraine’s recognition of its authority over war crimes and crimes against humanity within its territory, providing a legal basis for pursuing allegations of systemic abuse against journalists. RSF’s filing adds to efforts to secure accountability and redress for media professionals who have suffered serious harm in the course of their work and highlights the continuing dangers faced by journalists covering conflict and repression in Ukraine.
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