Verkhovna Rada called on international organisations to intensify efforts to return Ukrainian prisoners held by Russian Federation.

The Verkhovna Rada adopted draft resolution 11034, which appeals to international institutions, parliaments and governments of foreign countries, and international non-governmental organisations to intensify efforts to release and return to Ukraine all captured and illegally detained citizens, especially Ukrainian journalists.

According to Censor.NET, this was reported on Telegram channel by a member of the Voice faction, Yaroslav Zheleznyak.

"The parliament appealed to international institutions, parliaments and governments of foreign countries, international non-governmental organisations to intensify international and national efforts to release and return to Ukraine all captured and illegally detained citizens of Ukraine, especially Ukrainian journalists," he said.

The MP added that 293 MPs voted in favour of Resolution No. 11034.

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In particular, the text of the appeal states that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine:

• Calls on the international community to increase political and diplomatic pressure on the Russian Federation to protect the rights of journalists, ensure their safety, and return captured and illegally detained journalists (including civilian journalists);
• Calls on international institutions, parliaments and governments of foreign countries to intensify international and national efforts to ensure the release and return to Ukraine of all Ukrainian prisoners of war and all illegally detained persons who are citizens of Ukraine, in particular, all captured and illegally detained Ukrainian journalists (including citizen journalists);
• Calls on the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International NGO Committee to Protect Journalists and the International NGO Reporters Without Borders to do everything possible to secure the immediate release and return to Ukraine without preconditions of all captured and illegally detained Ukrainian journalists (including civilian journalists);
• Calls on the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as the UN Committees against Torture and Human Rights, to step up their efforts to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law in relation to Ukrainian prisoners of war held by the Russian Federation and to prevent torture, humiliation and violations of human rights, and to establish the whereabouts of all captives - citizens of Ukraine, in particular, captured and illegally detained Ukrainian journalists (including citizen journalists);
• Calls on the international community to strengthen efforts, including through the International Criminal Court, to ensure that all perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity on the territory of Ukraine, including those responsible for crimes against journalists, are brought to justice.

As a reminder, 49 exchanges have been carried out so far, and 2,828 people have been returned home, including 2,681 military personnel. 147 civilians have also been returned. More than 8,000 people are still in captivity. Of this number, more than 1,600 are civilians.