Former Head of Donetsk Pretrial Detention Center Charged with Torturing Civilians
A former employee of the Donetsk Pretrial Detention Center, who took charge of the illegally established facility after the city’s occupation, has been notified of the charges against him in absentia. According to the investigation, Ukrainian civilians were held for years in inhumane conditions—without clean water, surrounded by rats and insects—causing them to suffer health problems and severe psychological trauma.
According to the investigation, the man previously worked at the Donetsk Detention Center, and after the city’s occupation, he sided with the Russian invaders. In December 2022, he took charge of the illegally established correctional facility.
He is charged with cruel treatment of the civilian population committed by a group of individuals. If found guilty, the maximum penalty under this charge is 12 years in prison.
People were detained for their pro-Ukrainian stance
The investigation established that at least five civilians—three women and two men aged 19 to 67—were detained in a detention center because of their pro-Ukrainian stance. According to the prosecutor’s office, they were unlawfully detained on fabricated charges. Afterward, they were held for years in conditions that caused them physical and mental suffering.
Cells with Rats, Mold, and Constant Lighting
According to the OGP, dim artificial lighting remained on in the cells around the clock, and prisoners were not allowed to turn it off. Due to a lack of ventilation, dampness, condensation, and mold accumulated in the rooms. In addition, the cells were infested with bedbugs, cockroaches, lice, and rats. “They were held in cells with constant dim artificial lighting, which they were forbidden to turn off,” the prosecutor’s office noted.
According to investigators, the food was barely fit for consumption. Due to constant malnutrition, people lost weight rapidly, grew weaker, and fell ill. Some detainees lost nearly 20 kilograms.
There was almost no water
The prosecutor’s office also highlighted the lack of adequate access to drinking water. According to the investigation, instead of drinking water, the detainees were given industrial-grade water only once every three days and only for a few hours. As a result, the hostages could not even maintain basic personal hygiene.
After their release, the people’s health had deteriorated
According to the Office of the Prosecutor General, civilians were also held together with people who had syphilis, HIV/AIDS, and other infectious diseases. After their release, one of the victims was diagnosed with hepatitis C.
Others began to suffer from problems with their vision, teeth, hair, and cardiovascular system. In addition to the physical consequences, people struggled for a long time with psychological trauma resulting from their ordeal. Ukrainian law enforcement agencies continue to document crimes related to the unlawful detention and torture of civilians in the temporarily occupied territories. The Office of the Prosecutor General announced the allegations.
In the temporarily occupied part of the Kherson region, the Russians have registered at least 2,700 local residents for military service. According to the Ukrainian investigation, some of these people have already been drafted into the Russian army, while others may be conscripted in the future.
