Journalist Victoria Roschina, who died in Russian captivity, was posthumously awarded the “Press Freedom Hero” honor, presented annually by the International Press Institute (IPI) in partnership with the International Media Support (IMS). This was announced on the official IPI website.
The award ceremony took place on October 24 at the University of Vienna during the 75th World Congress of IPI.
Among this year’s laureates:
- Mzia Amaglobeli, Georgia (co-founder of “Batumelebi”);
- Martin Baron, USA (former editor of the Washington Post);
- Mariam Abu Daqqa, Palestine (posthumously);
- Gustavo Gorriti, Peru (founder of IDL-Reporteros);
- Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong (publisher of Apple Daily);
- Tesfalem Waldyes, Ethiopia (editor of Ethiopia Insider).
The awardees are journalists who demonstrated remarkable courage and resilience in defending freedom of speech and access to information.
The award for Victoria was accepted by Anna Babinets and Andriy Boborykin, representatives from the media outlet where she worked.
Babinets stated, “It is surreal to stand on a stage in Europe, accepting this award for a colleague I knew personally, a remarkable journalist who is no longer with us. Just imagine: a professional journalist from a European country dies in prison from torture and starvation. It is an honor for me to receive this award for my brave colleague”.
Additionally, independent Hungarian media were recognized as “Pioneers of Free Media”.
Details on the death of Victoria Roschina
The news of her death in Russian custody emerged on October 10, 2024. According to a letter from the Russian Ministry of Defense received by her father, Victoria died on September 19, 2024. She was listed for a prisoner exchange.
On April 24, it was revealed that her body was returned to Ukraine in late February 2025. DNA testing helped identify her remains.
The cause of death could not be determined due to the condition of her body, yet there were numerous signs of torture.
The investigation titled “Project Victoria” reported that Russia had transferred the body of journalist Victoria Roschina, marked in documents as “unidentified male body” and containing a single unclear label: SPAS. Examination revealed that some internal organs were missing.
“Slidstvo.Info” found that Roschina had been brutally tortured in Russian captivity: she bore stab wounds, weighed around 30 kilograms, and was hidden from inspections by Russian prison staff.
In May 2025, Victoria was posthumously awarded a special nomination at the national journalism competition “Honor of the Profession” for her commitment to journalism under the harshest conditions. She was laid to rest on August 8, 2025, in Kyiv.
In October 2025, her name was engraved on the Reporters Memorial in France.
