RSF calls for the immediate release of Ukrainian journalist Iryna Levchenko, kidnapped in occupied Melitopol three years ago

The international press freedom organization, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), has called for the immediate release of Ukrainian journalist Iryna Levchenko, who was kidnapped by Russian forces in the temporarily occupied Melitopol three years ago, on May 6, 2023. 

Iryna Levchenko. Photo provided by RIA Pivden

The 64-year-old journalist is being held without a sentence, and her trial has been repeatedly postponed. During this time, she has been moved between various places of detention: initially held in Melitopol, she was later moved to Donetsk, and in 2026, she was transferred to Simferopol in occupied Crimea.

In January 2026, Iryna Levchenko was charged with “espionage” – a charge frequently used by Russian occupying authorities against Ukrainian journalists in occupied territories. Her case is expected to be heard in a closed-door session.

According to her relatives, communication with the journalist is limited; she sends brief letters from behind bars through volunteers. Her sister, Olena Rudenko, says that despite the prolonged detention, Levchenko “is holding on.”

RSF emphasizes that Iryna Levchenko’s case exemplifies the Kremlin’s systematic repression in the occupied territories with the aim of silencing all outspoken media voices. Even after retiring from professional journalism, Levchenko remained an influential figure in Melitopol, having worked as a journalist for over 40 years for the local newspaper “Novyi Den”і .

According to the organization, Russia is currently holding at least 26 Ukrainian journalists, most of whom are detained in dire conditions. RSF underscores that such actions are aimed at suppressing freedom of speech in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

Earlier, ZMINA provided a detailed account of Iryna Levchenko’s story in Ukrainian.

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