Global Outcry Over Detention of Cambodian Environmental Journalist Ouk Mao
May 22, 2025
Samoan Journalist Faces Criminal Libel Charge, Sparking Press Freedom Concerns
May 23, 2025
May 22, 2025 – Ukraine/Russia –
Ukrainian journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, known as Vika, dedicated her career to uncovering Russia’s covert detention facilities, often referred to as “black sites,” where civilians were subjected to torture and abuse. In August 2023, while investigating these sites in Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia, she was detained by Russian forces. Her subsequent disappearance and death in captivity have drawn international attention to the plight of journalists and civilians under Russian occupation.
In the latest episode of Today in Focus, The Guardian’s investigative team delves into Roshchyna’s final assignment. The podcast, titled “Vika: The journalist who exposed Russian ‘black sites,’ then ended up in one,” features insights from reporters Manisha Ganguly and Juliette Garside. They discuss Roshchyna’s determination to document human rights abuses and the circumstances leading to her capture and death. The episode sheds light on the conditions within these detention centers and the systemic nature of the abuses.
Roshchyna’s work, part of the broader “Viktoriia Project,” continues to influence reporting on Russia’s detention practices. Her story underscores the risks faced by journalists in conflict zones and the importance of their role in exposing human rights violations.
To learn more about Roshchyna’s investigation and the ongoing efforts to document these abuses, listen to the full podcast episode here:
Reference –
Vika: The journalist who exposed Russian “black sites”, then ended up in one – podcast
