A petition calling for the release of unlawfully imprisoned Ukrainian energy workers from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has already gathered more than 50,000 signatures from around the world and has become a subject of diplomatic discussion in Vienna. The initiative, published on the international platform AVAAZ, urges IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi to use his mandate to facilitate the release of Ukrainian energy workers whom Russia has been unlawfully detaining since occupying the plant. The petition can be signed here: http://avaaz.org/znpp

The issue of hostages from the Zaporizhzhia NPP became the central topic of a two-day advocacy visit to Vienna organised by the NGO Association of Relatives of Kremlin Political Prisoners. The delegation included relatives of unlawfully imprisoned energy workers – Svitlana Brazhnyk, Nataliia Spartesna, and Vladyslav Lavryk – as well as Ivan Samoidiuk, Deputy Mayor of Enerhodar, who spent 333 days in unlawful Russian detention.

During the visit, family members and human rights defenders presented the petition to the international diplomatic community in Vienna. In particular, it was discussed during a thematic event at IAEA headquarters titled “Human Cost of the ZNPP Occupation: Stories of the Russian Hostages from Enerhodar.” The event was held ahead of the IAEA Board of Governors meeting scheduled to take place in Vienna in early March.

The meeting was supported by the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna and the Delegation of the European Union to the International Organizations in Vienna. It was opened by Permanent Representative of Ukraine Yurii Vitrenko and Permanent Representative of the EU Carl Hallergard, who stressed the humanitarian dimension of the occupation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP and the need to release the unlawfully detained energy workers.

The event was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps and international organisations, including diplomats from EU member states, Canada, the United States, and other countries. During the discussion, participants emphasised that the issue of the unlawful detention of ZNPP employees requires greater international attention, particularly in the context of IAEA meetings.

During the meetings, family members shared the stories of their loved ones – employees of the Zaporizhzhia NPP whom Russian forces have detained since the occupation of the plant. As of today, at least 35 civilian hostages are known to be held, including 14 ZNPP employees and 10 women. According to their families, many of them were detained for refusing to cooperate with the occupation administration or to sign contracts with the Russian state corporation Rosatom.

The petition was initiated through the joint efforts of the NGO Association of Relatives of Kremlin Political Prisoners and the human rights organisation Truth Hounds. The authors of the appeal call on the IAEA Director General to facilitate the release of the Ukrainian energy workers and to draw the attention of the international community to the humanitarian consequences of the occupation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

The delegation’s advocacy activities were coordinated by human rights defender Mariia Tomak. During the visit, the delegation also met with members of the Austrian Parliament with the support of the Ukrainian community in Vienna and spoke with international journalists.