Stanislav Aseyev, a Ukrainian journalist kidnapped by Russia’s proxies in the Donbas, ranks fifth on the “10 Most Urgent” list of the One Free Press Coalition, an organization of leading news organizations globally that promotes free speech and protection of journalists.
The list, which was published on July 1, calls attention to the most pressing cases of journalists under attack for pursuing the truth.
The list also includes Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Mexican reporter Norma Sarabia, Iranian journalist Marzieh Amiri, Tanzania’s Azory Gwanda, India’s Aasif Sultan, Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Nigeria’s Janes Abiri, Eritrea’s Seyoum Tsehaye and China’s Wei Zhili.
After Russia invaded the Donbas in 2014, Aseyev remained in the city of Donetsk and wrote stories for the Ukrainska Pravda and Zerkalo Tizhnya newspapers and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
Aseyev abruptly disappeared on June 3, 2017. He later turned up in captivity, held by the Russian-installed authorities, where he has remained since. Family members have had intermittent communication with him over the past two years, and there are serious concerns over Aseyev’s health in prison, One Free Press Coalition noted.
In August 2018 a Russian television channel aired an interview with Aseyev, in which he confessed to working for Ukrainian intelligence in the Russian-occupied Donbas.
The interview has raised concerns that Aseyev was coerced into confessing to false espionage charges.
Russia-led fighters beat a confession out of the journalist, Aseyev’s friend Yegor Firsov, a former Ukrainian parliamentarian, wrote on Facebook.
More information about the One Free Press Coalition can be found on its website.
