Denisova: Three hundred Ukrainians held captive in temporarily occupied territories

Three hundred Ukrainians, including 40 servicemembers, are held captive in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

"I held an online meeting with families of Ukrainian citizens held in captivity in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Currently, 300 people, including 40 servicemembers, are held captive," Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova posted on Telegram on December 14, Ukrinform reports.

The meeting participants exchanged information about the observance of rights of captives, the process of their release, conditions of detention in the notorious Makiyivka correctional facility No. 32, where Ukrainian political prisoner Ruslan Makarets recently died.

Denisova pointed out unsatisfactory conditions of detention in the Makiyivka correctional facility, as in all prisons in the temporarily occupied territories. In particular, due to the lack of heating, relatives with the help of volunteers bought coal to heat the cells, which was stolen by occupiers.

The Commissioner emphasized that civilian hostages almost do not receive humanitarian assistance as a result of non-fulfillment of agreements reached within the framework of the Normand format summit in Paris on December 9, 2019, as well as in Berlin on September 11, 2020, to ensure full and unconditional access of the International Committee of the Red Cross to captives in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Lugansk regions.

In particular, according to Denisova, civilian hostages received only toilet paper, soap and toothpaste from the last humanitarian convoy.

According to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, she will request President of the ICRC Peter Maurer to check the distribution of humanitarian aid and make a visit to the Makiyivka correctional facility No. 32 in order to verify the conditions of detention and provision of medicines.

The meeting participants also discussed the issue of state financial support for the families of Ukrainians, which are illegally held captive in the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

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