On May 15, 2018, at 11:00, in Kyiv, human rights activists from NGO Truth Hounds and Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union will present a report at Glavcom press center entitled Pidvaly.rar which analyzes evidence of crimes against humanity committed by separatists of the so-called “DPR” and armed forces of the Russian Federation during 2014-2015. The facts collected will be sent to the International Criminal Court.

The report contains unequivocal evidence of torture of civilians and soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, of inhuman and degrading treatment, killing of prisoners, mock executions, recruitment into the armed forces of the militants, minors “serving” in unauthorized armed forces and acts of sexual violence. Human rights activists have also collected the names of those who must be held accountable for these crimes.

“They wanted us to shoot at our own, and if we refused, they would beat us and threaten to kill other prisoners as well. It was all at the shooting range. Then they brought us to a room next to it. There they staged an execution with automatic rifles. This way they tried to apply psychological pressure on those that remained at the shooting range. After the mock execution they took us back to the shooting range and continued beating us,” tells a former captive who had been held in Donetsk.

The information on crimes committed by unauthorized armed forces of the so-called “DPR” and involvement of Russia’s armed forces in the conflict in Donbas is based on the testimonies of 138 victims who had been kept in captivity in Donetsk, Snizhne, Horlivka and Chystyakove (Torez).

“We believe it is essential to thoroughly and painstakingly investigate all such incidents and bring the perpetrators of international law to justice in an independent and impartial court, ensuring full respect for fundamental rights and fair trial,” says Truth Hounds researcher and chronicler of war crimes Roman Avramenko.

The study was carried out in partnership with the Civic Solidarity Platform and the Coalition for the International Criminal Court, with the support of the National Endowment for Democracy.

WHERE: Kyiv, 8/20 Shovkovychna St., Glavcom press center.

WHEN: 15 May 2018, 11:00.

SPEAKERS:

• Roman Avramenko – researcher, chronicler of war crimes, NGO Truth Hounds;
• Serghiy Movchan – expert, Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union.

Contacts for accreditation:

[email protected]

+380632064876