Independent OSCE experts have published a "Report on Violations and Abuses of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Associated with Arbitrary Deprivation of Liberty of Ukrainian Civilians by the Russian Federation."
The report was compiled following the visit of OSCE experts to Ukraine in March of this year. During the visit, the experts held a working meeting with representatives of the Coordination Headquarters led by Secretary of the Staff Dmytro Usov.
The OSCE expert mission found that the practice of arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Ukrainian civilians is widespread and exhibits signs of systematic, deliberate behavior directed specifically against Ukrainians.
The report notes that a large number of Ukrainians have been arbitrarily deprived of their liberty by Russia since the spring of 2014. After the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022, this practice extended to all territories temporarily occupied by Russia.
The mission concluded that in the vast majority of cases, the detention of Ukrainian civilians by the Russian Federation lacks legal grounds and therefore constitutes arbitrary deprivation of liberty under both international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL). Ukrainian civilians subjected to such arbitrary detention have the right to immediate and unconditional release.
The mission also found that the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Ukrainian civilians by Russia has contributed to other serious violations of IHL and IHRL, including torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, sexual violence, and other forms of cruel treatment.
