Updated

The Kyiv Independent published a commentary by PEN Ukraine's communications lead, ahead of Empty Chair Day on Nov. 15, calling for the return of Ukrainian journalists still imprisoned in Russia. Counts differ: the Institute of Mass Information reports at least 27 detained journalists, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center cites 20 Crimean journalists behind bars, and the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War cites 45. The commentary says Russia deliberately sabotages international detention rules and cuts journalists off from the outside world, and that its withdrawal from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture ended independent monitoring of its prisons. Individual cases include Crimean journalist Iryna Danylovych, abducted by the FSB in 2022 and sentenced to seven years, and Server Mustafayev, coordinator of Crimean Solidarity, held since 2020 on a 14-year sentence.