ZMINA, MIHR meet with UN Special Rapporteur on Torture to share data on torture committed by Russia

On September 8, representatives of Human Rights Center ZMINA and Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR) held a meeting with UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Alice Jill Edwards in Kyiv. During the event, human rights defenders presented the information they had learned about the cases of torture committed by Russia in Ukraine. 

The meeting took place in a shelter during an air raid alert 

ZMINA and MIHR presented documented cases of torture of Ukrainian civilians, which are often connected with enforced disappearances, to the Special Rapporteur. Human rights defenders also shared their own analytical research on this topic, as well as talked about national and international advocacy efforts aimed at further investigating cases of torture. 

“In the cases we examined, we see that the crimes have signs of a large scale, that is, the same methods of interrogation and torture took place in different regions across the country. We can also speak about the systematic nature of these crimes which may indicate crimes against humanity,” said Natalia Okhotnikova, ZMINA’s human rights advisor. 

Human rights activists invited to the event Olha Cherniak, a victim of torture, a resident of Kherson, who was illegally held captive by the Russians for 280 days and tortured with electric shocks until she lost consciousness. Her 19-year-old son was also tortured in front of the woman. She suffered seven heart attacks during the confinement. The woman shared her story with the Special Rapporteur. 

The event was also attended by ZMINA’s project manager Oleh Hnatiuk, ZMINA’s research analyst Borys Petruniok, MIHR’s coordinators Olha Reshetylova and Tetiana Katrychenko, as well as former captive, victim of torture Mykola Zahozhyi. 

Special Rapporteur Alice Jill Edwards informed those present that she was gathering information for a report on the investigation into crimes involving the use of torture. In addition, the UN Special Rapporteur asked what challenges human rights NGOs faced during the research. She also pointed to the resilience of civil society organizations and thanked those present for their work as organizations document and prepare analytical reports on crimes of torture in Ukraine despite the ongoing war. 

Information from human rights organizations should form the basis of the Rapporteur’s report on her visit to Ukraine, as well as her subsequent inquiries to Russia regarding the unlawful confinement of Ukrainians in its territory.