The Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada has called on the international community to provide assistance in protecting the rights of Ukrainian journalists in Russia, including Ukrinform correspondent Roman Suschenko, who has been detained there.

"We are urgently calling for consolidation of efforts toward freeing Ukrainian journalists, condemning the Russian Federation's actions, which grossly violate human rights, and making sure that Ukrainian consular officials and a lawyer are immediately provided with access to the detained Roman Suschenko," the Rada said in a statement addressed to the parliaments of the European Union member-states, the U.S., Canada and Japan, the European Parliament, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic.

This appeal was supported by 245 MPs at a parliamentary sitting on Wednesday.

The lawmakers said that this and other criminal cases against Ukrainian nationals, who are held illegally in Russia and in the occupied parts of Ukraine, are "a clear evidence that the Russian Federation continues numerous violations of human rights, is using the methods of forcible seizure in its territory or abduction from the territory of Ukraine of hostages, and is then bringing absurd charges against them." In addition, "psychological pressure and physical torture" are often used against the detained Ukrainians.

"We firmly believe that the abovementioned cases of persecution of Ukrainians are directly related to their professional journalistic activities. By such actions, representatives of the Russian Federation are trying to take hostage those for whom protection of human rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression, constitute fundamental value and essence of their work. These actions are also aimed at intimidating journalists. This criminal objective should not be achieved," the statement reads.

Suschenko was detained in Moscow on charges of "espionage." The Moscow Lefortovsky Court on October 1 ordered his two-month arrest.

Kyiv said that the detention was an act of provocation and the accusations of spying were groundless.