Man Handcuffed to a Ladder: TCC Employee to Face Trial
In Zakarpattia, an employee of the regional recruitment center will stand trial on charges of torturing a conscript. According to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), in March 2026, the man was handcuffed to a metal ladder and left there all night. The indictment has already been submitted to the court.
SBI investigators, with the assistance of the Military Law Enforcement Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, have completed an investigation into an employee of one of the district recruitment centers and joint units in Zakarpattia Oblast. According to the investigation, in March of this year, the conscript was on the premises of a temporary mobilization point. The TMP employee, investigators claim, wanted to force the man to stay there.
To do so, he handcuffed him to a metal ladder. The conscript spent the entire night in this condition. The State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) considers these actions to be torture. This involves the intentional infliction of severe physical and mental suffering on a person in order to force them to act against their will.
What the investigators established
During the investigation, SBI officers seized official documents and materials from internal audits. Investigators interviewed the victim, witnesses, and representatives of the Ukrainian Parliament’s Commissioner for Human Rights. They also reviewed footage from police officers’ body cameras.
Based on the results of the investigation, an indictment was filed with the court. The TCC employee is charged with torture under Part 1 of Article 127 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This article carries a penalty of up to six years of imprisonment. At the same time, it is important to note that the final assessment of the defendant’s actions must be made by the court.
There is another case
Separately, the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) continues to investigate the possible unlawful detention of conscripts at the same mobilization center. As part of another proceeding, the actions of the acting head of the district TCC and SP and the head of the military registration unit are being investigated.
The case files concerning these officials have been separated into distinct criminal proceedings. They had previously been notified of their status as suspects in the unlawful deprivation of liberty and torture of conscripts. The Transcarpathian Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Defense in the Western Region is overseeing the proceedings in this case. The State Bureau of Investigations (DBR) states that it is systematically investigating cases of unlawful detention, violence, and other violations of citizens’ rights at territorial recruitment centers. This was reported by the .
As a reminder, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) detained a coordinator of Russian strikes on Chernivtsi.
The SBU also exposed a Russian intelligence network that was planning terrorist attacks using teenagers.
The SBU uncovered the embezzlement of state funds allocated for the Trypillya and Zmiiv Thermal Power Plants.
