The international organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) accused the Russian army of torturing prisoners of war and civilians in the southern regions of Ukraine — in the occupied territories of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
Source: Senior researcher for HRW investigations focusing on Ukraine Yulia Gorbunova
Human rights defenders refer to the testimony of dozens of people. According to their stories, more than 40 cases were established when the Russian military was involved in the disappearance of Ukrainian civilians or their unjustified detentions.
“Russian forces have turned the occupied regions of southern Ukraine into an abyss of fear and wild lawlessness.”
She mentioned torture, inhumane treatment, illegal detentions, talking about possible war crimes.
“The Russian authorities must immediately put an end to such violations and realize that they can and will be held accountable for it,” Yulia Gorbunova emphasized.
Organizers and participants of anti-Russian protests, journalists, and local officials were among the people who were detained and tortured.
Earlier, Human Rights Watch distributed a report on the atrocities of the Russian occupiers in the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions.
See also: 43 countries in the OSCE condemned torture and other violence by Russia in the war against Ukraine
