Human rights activists accuse both sides of the armed conflict in the east of Ukraine in torture

International human rights organizations Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch say that torture and unlawful detentions were used both sides of the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine. July 21 organizations submitted a joint report entitled “You do not exist” on human rights violations in the conflict region.

Human rights activists became aware of nine cases where the Ukrainian authorities’ arbitrary and long held civilians “in custody in unofficial prisons. They also point to several cases of “enforced disappearance” when the government did not recognize the fact of detention and relatives were not informed about the fate of man.

According to the report, the detained and “disappeared” secretly kept the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). In the stories of affected people alleged that they were held from 6 weeks to 15 months, the Security Service building in Kharkov, Kramatorsk, raisins and Mariupol, where they were tortured. As a result, the detainees excited by any thing but a full trial was conducted – the people released under the prisoner exchange.

The report provides, for example, the history of antikievskogo activist “Artema” (not his real name) from Mariupol, who spent 11 days in the basement, where he was subjected to torture. Here is an excerpt of his story, which lead human rights defenders:

“On the third day … dragged two bare wires and pull up current I to the stomach. I jerked so that they had to have the wooden stairs to tie, but I had her in convulsions broke. Then he turned me and placed a wire-to-back. After I had several just passed out, I pulled off my pants and wires – to the cause of the place … They all wanted about some gun know, but I said that in the life of weapons in the hands not holding threatened me with a big cut finger, then put on the face of a wet rag and. steel water watering. I choked … “

The report argues that “Artem” had been imprisoned for 11 months, the Security Service, he was exchanged in February 2016.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch appealed to the Security Service for an explanation, the SBU denied everything. In this case, human rights activists say that the SBU building in Kharkov still “secret detention” of up to 16 people.

Another nine cases of “arbitrary detention” of citizens and of torture documented by human rights activists of the separatist breakaway republics “LC” and “DNR”. The report describes in detail the six stories. According to the authors, in respect of these people have been prosecuted for espionage in favor of the Ukrainian government, possession of weapons and involvement in the “pro-Ukrainian” extremist organizations.

Human rights activists tell the story of 39-year-old “Vadim” (not his real name), who was arrested twice: first the Ukrainian authorities, and after a while – the separatists: on suspicion that he was recruited by the SBU.

At the same time, the authors of the report said the information collected – it is only the “tip of the iceberg”, and they can not judge now about the true extent of the problem. Read more about the report in an interview with Radio Liberty, said the representative of Human Rights Watch Tatyana Lokshina :

– Our organization decided to do this study together, to say with one voice about the issue, which, in our view, highly relevant in the context of the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine. In fact, within the field studies we were able to gather enough information to suggest that both parties to the conflict in eastern Ukraine detained and held civilians in illegal places of detention. Most of the victims, which we were able to interview, said that they were tortured or other forms of cruel or degrading treatment. Some were denied medical care in a situation, in particular when the medical care they needed because of damage due to injury, which caused him directly during his detention. It is important to emphasize that all of these people, as we explored in great detail 18 cases on both sides have been at the time of his arrest almost completely cut off from the outside world. They had no contact with their relatives, they did not have the possibility to obtain legal advice, they had no access to lawyers. That is, it is really outrageous situation. People are helpless, they can not find a remedy.

– Some particularly egregious cases, stories can you single out?

– Yes, of course. Our report begins with a brief description of one of these 18 cases, and the case is in relation to the other is quite unusual, because we are talking about a man who suffered from both sides. This is a man whose first spring 2015 detained within the territory of the Ukrainian government, Ukrainian forces. He spent about one and a half months in detention in illegal places of detention, routinely subjected to torture, he burned with cigarettes, beaten very severely. When, finally, the man was released, most likely because holding his face suggested that any valuable information from it can not receive, he returned to his home in Donetsk, in the territory not controlled by the Ukrainian authorities. But very soon it was captured by the authorities already self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” because the local security structures suggested that while he was held on the other side, he was recruited by Ukrainian Security Service. And then this man has already held 2.5 months in Donetsk, illegal places of detention, too, had been beaten and degrading treatment.

Another very important thing is a resident of the city of Konstantinovka in the east of Ukraine, on the territory controlled by the authorities, Konstantina Beskorovaynogo, who was arrested at his home at the end of 2014 members of Ukrainian Security Service. In his words, he illegally detained, first in their division in the city Kramatorsk, and then a very long time, actually more than a year, 15 months on the territory of the Ukrainian Security Service units in the city of Kharkov. No bureaucratic trace in this case is not observed, that is, his detention was not recorded and not recorded. SBU denied the fact of detention, in particular, at a meeting with us. And the man disappeared in fact, subjected to enforced disappearance for more than a year. Then, as a result, he was released, and here he is now trying to seek justice. Earlier, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International wrote and spoke about violations related to illegal arbitrary detention and ill-treatment of persons by the Ukrainian authorities, but it was a volunteer battalions – “Aydar”, “Azov”, can be called a fairly already infamous ” Right sector”. In this case, among the cases in which we have worked, we have recorded three cases when a person is subjected to illegal length – I stress – the detention, they told us that they were held on the territory of the Ukrainian Security Service units. It can be called a fairly already infamous “Right sector”. In this case, among the cases in which we have worked, we have recorded three cases when a person is subjected to illegal length – I stress – the detention, they told us that they were held on the territory of the Ukrainian Security Service units. It can be called a fairly already infamous “Right sector”. In this case, among the cases in which we have worked, we have recorded three cases when a person is subjected to illegal length – I stress – the detention, they told us that they were held on the territory of the Ukrainian Security Service units.

This, of course, very seriously. Here it should be noted that when preparing the report, we addressed with a detailed letter to the Security Service of Ukraine, in particular, including details of specific cases, calling the names of the two alleged victims and asking specific questions on these matters, as well as the principle of the existence of illegal detention centers under custody in the territory of the SBU units. We responded to that letter that nothing like this happens that the SBU, there is one place of detention, it is currently the official – a temporary detention center in Kiev, which is registered and where the detainees could be up to 10 days. Nothing like this has been said to us in the divisions in Kharkov, does not occur in Kramatorsk. But all the evidence we have received, it is very significant, they point to the possible existence of an extremely serious problem, and they are, of course, require immediate effective investigation. We look forward to this, we talked about this at the meeting in the presidential administration of Ukraine, which was attended by members of the security services, and at a meeting with the military prosecutor of Ukraine. We were given assurances that, at least in the case Beskorovainaya investigative work will be carried out immediately. But I can only repeat that the SBU denied the existence of such practices.

With regard to areas outside the control of the Ukrainian authorities, the self-proclaimed “DNR” and “LC”, according to the information that we were able to put together key actors from the point of view of illegal detention and ill-treatment of detainees are the local Ministry of State Security, ie the MGB DNI and MGB LC, which, we were told quite many people in the region, the most power in these areas structures that operate outside of any kind was a system of checks and balances that are “doing what they want.” Representatives of these ministries detain people and keep them at home. The report, in particular, shows the case of two persons, which they held for a long time, and which were later transferred to the detention center Donetsk. One of them – fairly well-known religious scholar Igor Kozlovsky Donetsk. At the moment, de facto authorities in DND call it Ukrainian spy and accused, in particular, in that it produced weapons. His attempt to exchange.

– How do you find these people?

– And that and other organizations have worked very hard in eastern Ukraine since the beginning of the armed conflict. Our staff had a lot of trips to the region, and accordingly, we get the information out on a regular basis. When we jointly decided to tackle this theme, we have, on the one hand, there were already some complaints from victims and their families, and on the other hand, we spoke with the lawyers who work on such cases, interviewed various sources. A total of 18 cases we have documented. Of course, these 18 cases can not give an idea of ​​the scale of the problem. We ourselves are not ready to say how many such cases. But it is important to note that in a recent, the June report of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the UN unlawful detention, ill-treatment of detainees was described as deep-rooted practice. And this information and other information that we obtained from various sources, give us reason to believe that what we have documented, this is probably the tip of the iceberg.

– As far as these cases of egregious for Ukraine or the violation of human rights – rather habitual bad practice?

– If we talk about the abuses that we documented in respect of Ukrainian structures of the Ukrainian authorities, the earlier we received a lot of reports of violations of this type on the part of the volunteer battalions. Of course, the fact that now we have – this is very significant information that these practices engaged in the Security Service, and we are very concerned. It’s probably important and new, what was said in the report. One interviewee contact explained that the division SBU in Kharkov, where he and others were illegally detained, called them “ghosts”, said: “You do not exist you do not even budget line is not on you, we will feed you out of pocket! “. Indeed, the situation is outrageous! Although the report does not focus directly on the issue of exchange of prisoners, it is not our mandate, but, Judging by the information we have gathered, there is reason to believe that civilians hold both sides as a kind of bargaining chip for exchange. And it is also very alarming, and here it is necessary to emphasize that the hostages, if there is to be the practice of “hostage-taking” as the cases we documented, is a war crime.

– you somewhere send this report? And what is the reaction to it are you waiting for?

– Here in Ukraine, we have been meeting in the presidential administration, including the SBU and the military prosecutor’s office. We hope that the report, they will be treated seriously. As for the “DNR” and “LC”, the report contains detailed recommendations to the authorities of the breakaway republics and, in fact, the Russian Federation, as a State, which clearly has influence them. And we hope that the report will receive widespread coverage in Russia and thus motivates the Russian authorities to ensure that use this effect properly and do everything possible to ensure that such practices have stopped there – concludes Tatyana Lokshina.

The report is “You do not exist”: arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and torture in the east of Ukraine “went to 40 interviews with affected people, their families and lawyers The report describes the cases relating to 2015 and the first half of 2016..

Sourse, 21/07/2016