According to the United Nations (UNO), Russia has arrested more than 800 civilians in both countries since its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. According to a report by the UN Human Rights Office, 77 of them were executed. UN observers have identified patterns of behavior that have led to arbitrary arrests, torture and ill-treatment. Also the “disappearance” of people is part of it.
Russian actors have tortured hundreds of civilians since the attack on Ukraine. Since the start of the war in February 2022 and until May 2023, the agency has documented a total of 864 cases of people arrested by the Russian side, mostly in occupied territories. Nearly everyone has reported torture, the head of the UN human rights office in Ukraine, Matilda Bogner, said Tuesday. She spoke via video link to reporters in Geneva from Ukraine.
Violations of international law in Ukraine “to a lesser extent”
“Russian armed forces, law enforcement and correctional authorities have tortured and abused civilian prisoners on a massive scale,” Bogner said. Ukraine has also violated international law by arbitrarily arresting citizens – albeit to a much lesser extent. On the Ukrainian side, the agency documented 75 cases of arrested citizens, most of whom also reported ill-treatment and torture.
Actual numbers probably twice as high
The Office only counts cases where it has been able to clarify the circumstances itself. The actual number of civilians detained may be more than twice that, Bogner said.
Source: Krone
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