The UN International Commission of Inquiry on Violations in Ukraine has found new evidence of the systematic use of torture by Russian authorities against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war in the occupied territories and in the Russian Federation.
Torture of Ukrainians by Russians
According to the report of the UN Commission of Inquiry on investigation of violations in Ukraine, the geographical scope and nature of torture of Ukrainians indicate that these actions were carried out as a routine practice with a sense of impunity.
Further investigation confirmed that torture was actively used in the occupied territories of Ukraine, which are temporarily under Russian control.
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As the UN commission notes, the new evidence reinforces previous findings about the large-scale nature of Russian crimes.
In particular, common elements in the methods of torture have been identified, which underscores the systematic nature of such actions in large places of detention in the occupied territories and in Russia, where Ukrainian prisoners of war are held.
— Another common element points to the coordinated involvement of employees of specific Russian services in torture in all places of detention investigated by the commission, — the report says.
Sexual violence against Ukrainian men
Sexual violence, primarily against men, is systematically used as a form of torture. Such cases have been recorded in almost all of the Russian institutions mentioned, the UN commission claims.
Representatives of the commission managed to collect testimonies from former prisoners about staff at Russian prisons who received orders for cruel treatment.
In some institutions, orders for torture came from senior management, who approved of such treatment or did nothing to stop it against Ukrainians.
— The worst thing is that the criminals did everything silently and professionally. I realized that they do this to many people. They do not consider us human beings, — the commission quoted one of the civilians who was tortured for 10 days straight.
Recently, the National Police reported suspicions to 11 police officers from Russia who organized one of the most brutal torture chambers in Kherson during the occupation.
