UN report: Ukrainian prisoners of war subjected to torture and ill-treatment at all stages of captivity
Kyiv • UNN
The UN report revealed widespread torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russia. 169 out of 174 interviewees reported various forms of violence, including beatings, electric shocks, and sexual assault.
Torture and other forms of ill-treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war are widespread during interrogations and at all stages of captivity in Russia. This is stated in the UN report on Ukraine, which covers key human rights developments from June 1 to August 31, 2024, UNN reports.
Detailed and consistent accounts of torture or ill-treatment in detention in the Russian Federation were provided by 169 out of 174 Ukrainian prisoners of war interviewed by OHCHR since March 2023.
Ukrainian POWs reported being subjected to a variety of methods of torture or ill-treatment. Regular methods included: severe beatings, electric shocks, suffocation, prolonged stressful positions, excessive exercise, sleep deprivation, mock executions, threats of brutal violence against the individual or their family, and humiliation. In many cases, the perpetrators used tools such as stun guns, truncheons, plastic pipes, wooden hammers, guns, pliers and knives to commit these acts, and sometimes incited dogs to attack prisoners of war.
OHCHR assessed these acts of violence as intentionally causing severe pain and suffering to the victims.
"Interviewees also frequently reported experiencing forms of sexual violence during internment. 119 interviewees said they had experienced acts of sexual violence, including rape, attempted rape, threats of rape and castration, beatings or electric shocks to the genitals, repeated forced nudity, and sexual humiliation," the report says.
The UN reports that torture and other forms of ill-treatment were widespread during interrogations.
"Torture and other forms of ill-treatment were widespread during interrogation and at all stages of detention, including during reception, daily internment procedures (forced detention - ed.) and as a result of the appalling conditions of internment. Entire groups of Ukrainian prisoners of war were regularly subjected to such cruel practices in various internment facilities in numerous regions in the occupied territory of Ukraine and the Russian Federation, demonstrating similar brutality," the report says.
Procedural safeguards designed to prevent torture and ill-treatment were often not implemented or were ineffective, compounded by inadequate legislation and lack of accountability for such violations.
