Ukraine/Russia: Disappearance of Ukrainian journalist Oleg Baturin

The Observatory has been informed about the disappearance of Mr. Oleg Baturin, a Ukrainian journalist working for the Novy Den newspaper and member of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU). Oleg Baturin has been reporting on the war since President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which started on February 24, 2022.

On March 12, 2022, Oleg Baturin was allegedly abducted by Russian soldiers in the Kherson region, Ukraine, part of which is under occupation by Russian troops. At about 4 pm, Oleg Baturin received a call from an acquaintance who proposed to meet him at a bus station located near to the journalist’s house, in the town of Kakhova. Oleg Baturin left his phone and documents at home, and he promised to return in 20 minutes. The journalist was never seen again after he left his house to go to the meeting. At the time of publication of this Urgent Appeal, Oleg Baturin’s whereabouts remained unknown.

On the same day, at around 4:50 pm, according to local reports, Russian soldiers were seen near the Kakhova bus station, where Oleg Baturin was supposed to meet his acquaintance.

Since the war started, the neighbouring town of Nova Kakhovka has been occupied by Russian forces who are attempting to install a Russian-controlled military-civilian administration.

The Observatory recalls that since the beginning of the war, Russian authorities have brutally repressed independent journalists and media outlets, peaceful protesters, human rights defenders and civil society organisations in both Russia and Ukraine, including the arbitrary arrests of prominent rights defenders Mr. Oleg Orlov and Ms. Svetlana Gannushkina in Moscow.

The Observatory strongly condemns the abduction of Ukrainian journalist Oleg Baturin and expresses its utmost concern over the risk of ill-treatment and torture he faces. The Observatory urges the Russian authorities to immediately and unconditionally disclose his whereabouts and release him.

The Observatory further calls on the Russian authorities to put an immediate end to all forms of harassment, arbitrary detention and abductions against journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society organisations operating in Ukraine and in Russia, and to respect their right to freedom of expression as enshrined in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.