A New Type of War Crime. Oleksandra Romantsova at a Closed Briefing on Civilians in Captivity
On September 24, Oleksandra Romantsova, Executive Director of the Center for Civil Liberties, took part in a closed briefing dedicated to the situation of prisoners held during Russia’s aggression — in particular, Ukrainian civilians and Russian political prisoners. The event was held within the framework of the People First campaign and was organized by the Permanent Mission of the Czech Republic to the United Nations together with the United Nations Office in Geneva.
According to various estimates, Russia is currently holding several thousand Ukrainian civilians who were forcibly transferred from the occupied territories of Ukraine, and in most cases are being detained without any legal grounds. In 2024, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights reported that the number exceeded 16,000 Ukrainians.
In addition, at least 1,750 Russian citizens are currently imprisoned on politically motivated charges related to their anti-war stance or pro-Ukrainian views. The deprivation of liberty of these people constitutes not only a gross and large-scale violation of human rights, but also a serious humanitarian problem.
The purpose of the closed briefing was to discuss the situation of people held in Russian captivity and to formulate recommendations for their immediate release. Diplomats from countries supporting Ukraine, as well as representatives of the so-called Global South, were invited to participate.
Among the speakers were Mariana Katsarova, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Russia; Sergey Davidis, head of the Memorial project supporting political prisoners; Yulian Pylypei, a former Ukrainian prisoner of war; Solomiya Stasiv, representative of Truth Hounds; and Tanya Lokshina, Deputy Director of the Europe and Central Asia Division at Human Rights Watch. “Such closed briefings differ from sessions held, for example, within the framework of traditional UN side events. However, they offer an opportunity for direct and close communication in order to once again draw attention to and emphasize an issue that has become a new type of war crime — the illegal abduction and detention of civilians. It was also possible to discuss the dangerous situation created by Russian troops around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Unfortunately, a large number of employees are still at the plant, effectively in the status of hostages, as are their families living near the power plant in Enerhodar, who suffer from torture and other forms of coercion. Therefore, this event made it possible to update the factual information and provide additional arguments for those who actively support Ukraine’s resistance to the aggressor, as well as for those who remain in a neutral position,” said Oleksandra Romantsova.
