Europe Presses on Jailed Ukrainian Journalists
A coalition of 15 nations at the OSCE urged action on journalist safety as at least 26 Ukrainian reporters remain held in Russian captivity.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in International Relations
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The Informal Group of Friends of Safety of Journalists delivered a joint diplomatic statement at the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on 5 November 2026. The statement, delivered by Finland's Permanent Representative Outi Hyvärinen, responded to the fourth bi-annual report by OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Jan Braathu.
Why it matters
The statement voices alarm at the criminalisation of public interest journalism and the growing use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) as tools of legal harassment against investigative reporting. It was issued alongside a UK national statement calling for the release of captive Ukrainian journalists.
The coalition of 15 nations represents a subset of the 57 OSCE participating states, and the statement cites at least 26 Ukrainian journalists held in Russian captivity. The extraction does not specify individual cases or any movement toward their release.
The players
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Jan Braathu
Braathu holds the OSCE monitoring mandate on media freedom and authored the fourth bi-annual report that prompted the joint statement.
Outi Hyvärinen
Hyvärinen is Finland's Permanent Representative to the OSCE who delivered the joint statement on behalf of the coalition.
The details
The coalition includes Austria, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland and the UK. The statement references Ministerial Council Decision No. 3/18, adopted in 2018, which commits nations to take effective measures to end impunity for crimes against journalists.
Timeline
5 November 2026: Joint statement delivered at the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna.
Big Picture
The statement builds on OSCE Ministerial Council Decision No. 3/18 from 2018, which pledged effective measures against impunity for crimes against journalists. Coalition members are now reiterating that commitment in response to newer monitoring findings on SLAPPs and criminalisation of public-interest reporting.
For readers following press freedom, the statement signals that SLAPPs and criminalisation of public-interest reporting are now being raised at the level of intergovernmental diplomacy. It also highlights that journalists covering the Ukraine conflict remain at risk of detention.
The takeaway
Press freedom advocates should track whether coalition statements such as this one translate into concrete action on detained journalists and on the legal tools used against investigative reporters.
Further reading
For broader context on diplomatic efforts around press freedom, see International Relations.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Chichester News.
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