Former Taganrog Detention Chief Charged with Torture of Ukrainian Journalist

Ukrainian law enforcement has charged the former head of pre-trial detention center No. 2 in Taganrog, Rostov Oblast, Russia, with personally ordering the torture of Ukrainian journalist Viktoria Roshchyna, who died in captivity. Roshchyna was captured in the occupied Zaporizhzhia region in 2023 and subjected to systematic torture, psychological pressure, humiliation, and severe deprivation of medical care, food, and rest while detained in Russian facilities, including Taganrog SIZO-2 and a penal colony in Berdiansk. The former detention center head, Lieutenant Colonel Aleksandr Shtoda, has been notified of suspicion in absentia for war crimes under the Ukrainian Criminal Code, with potential penalties up to 12 years in prison. Investigations revealed that the suspect knowingly violated international humanitarian law and the Geneva Convention by torturing a civilian journalist who did not participate in combat. Ukrainian authorities continue to identify all individuals involved in crimes against Roshchyna. The case has drawn condemnation as a grave human rights violation and highlights the organized system of repression against Ukrainian civilians and soldiers in Russian detention centers.