UN Report: Civilian detainees subjected to troubling patterns of torture and ill treatment since Russia’s full scale attack on Ukraine

“The report finds that Russian authorities have subjected Ukrainian civilian detainees in occupied territory to torture and ill-treatment,” UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said.

It is based upon interviews conducted from June 2023 until 10 September of this year.

It focuses on two groups, first Ukrainian civilians detained by Russia in occupied territory.

Second, conflict-related detainees held by Ukraine for national security offences.

“The Russian Federation has frequently disregarded legal and procedural safeguards in occupied territory, resulting in high numbers of arbitrary detentions, and raising significant concerns about enforced disappearances,” he said.

The cumulative effect of these measures, combined with a lack of accountability, is that many Ukrainian civilians are placed outside the effective protection of the law during their detention. They have contributed to an oppressive environment and climate of fear in the occupied territory of Ukraine.

“In territory under its control, Ukraine has detained mainly its own citizens on charges related to national security, including treason and espionage, the report details. Many conflict-related criminal cases also involve charges of collaboration, based on the individual’s interaction or cooperation with the Russian occupying authorities,” Laurence said.

In May 2025, the Ukrainian authorities reported that around 1,800 Ukrainian civilians were still being detained by the Russian Federation in occupied territory for reasons related to the armed conflict, although the actual number is likely to be significantly higher.

“We reiterate that civilians must always be treated humanely and can only be detained on grounds lawful under international law. They must be released from detention as soon as such grounds cease to exist,” the spokesperson added.

“UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk calls for the human rights of civilian detainees to be prioritised in any peace talks,” he stressed.

Danielle Bell, UN Human Rights Ukraine Representative joining from Kyiv added the following observation:“Civilians in detention faced heightened risk of torture, abuse and disappearances, especially during wartime when they are often seen as security threats.”

“Civilians have been systematically targeted for their perceived ties to Ukraine's armed forces and subjected to prosecution for alleged crimes such as treason, discrediting the Russian armed forces or criticizing the invasion,” she added.

Ukraine’s Prosecutor General reports 15,250 civilians detained by Russian authorities since February 2022, with at least 1,800 still in detention. For this report, the UN Human Rights Office documented 508 cases, including 216 interviews with released detainees and additional evidence from families, lawyers, and witnesses.

“A core finding of this report is systematic and widespread torture and ill-treatment of Ukrainians civilians by Russian authorities. Of those interviewed, 92% recorded reported torture. This includes severe beatings, sexual violence, threats such as mock executions,” Bell stated.

Under international law, occupying powers can detain civilians only under strict conditions, with safeguards and legal review. Russia has ignored these rules, leaving civilians vulnerable to arbitrary prosecution and abuse.

“One detainee described to us being beaten so severely with a baseball bat that he begged to be shot. His captor instead laughed and beat his teeth with a baseball bat, knocking out his teeth,” Bell said.

The increased number of conflict-related detainees – some 2,258 – held by Ukraine in official pre-trial and penal facilities as of 21 July 2025, as well as 20,000 open cases has strained Ukraine’s criminal justice system. The authorities have taken steps to strengthen procedural safeguards and improve detention conditions. However, the UN Human Rights Office continues to document cases of torture and ill-treatment of detainees, and accountability remains limited.

“Ukraine has largely followed its procedural safeguards, for example, ensuring access to lawyers and complaint mechanisms. But concerns do persist. For example, 117 detainees reported torture or ill-treatment when they were first detained in 2022, or most cases were from early 2022. Pre-trial detention is overused, and bail is rarely granted. Investigations into abuse have seen limited progress,” Bell stated.

“This report is vital for several reasons. First, it confronts us with the harsh reality, with the harsh reality of torture, which underscores the urgency of ending it. And the report gives several practical recommendations for doing this. Second, in any negotiation, the release of civilian detainees held by the Russian Federation must be a priority. And the law and the facts in this report provide a basis or can support these efforts. Third, the public record formed by this report can be drawn upon to hold perpetrators accountable. And finally, those detained, and their family members deserve for the truth to be known and their suffering to be acknowledged,” she said in conclusion.

One of the victims that was interviewed by our office is Anna. Her father, Roman, used to work for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. He was detained in January 2023. More than a year after her father’s disappearance, Anna received a response from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

“I submitted many requests to the Russian Ministry of Defense, and they told me that he was not listed, was not in jail, and not in custody. And at one point, I received a letter from the Russian Ministry of Defense that my father had been detained and was being held in the Russian Federation. But there were no specifics given and no reason provided as to why he was detained. In response to this letter, I sent a request, asking why he was being held. And where exactly he was being held? The response I received said that my dad was not detained, it was a mistake as there are a lot of namesakes. Afterwards, I submitted many requests to different regions. Some would answer, some wouldn't. But everywhere the answer is that he is not listed, and to this day I don't know where my dad is.”

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact:

In Geneva:

Ravina Shamdasani: + 41 22 917 9169 / ravina.shamdasani@un.org

Jeremy Laurence: + 41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org

Thameen Al-Kheetan: + 41 76 223 77 62 / thameen.alkheetan@un.org

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