Заложники. Инструмент террора и способ обогащения

Civil activists, people who openly declare their pro-Ukrainian position, volunteers, people suspected of having links with the Ukrainian security officials, independent journalists who criticize the actions of the separatists, businessmen and officials who didn’t take the side of rebels. One-third of the total number of prisoners belonged to this group. They were subjected to the most refined torture and were kept in captivity for much longer — from several days to couple of months. Some of the prisoners, unable to bear the torture, died, some were executed.

It’s impossible to say the exact number of victims among civilians that were abducted. Rebels try to hide these facts, and Ukrainian authorities are reluctant to documenting and investigating these cases even if they are high profile.

Despite the recommendations of the European institutions, the Ukrainian government hasn’t still created the legislation that identifies and provides guarantees for prisoners and an effective and clear procedure for responding to the problem.

Informator Lugansk, for  Hromadske Radio