PLACES OF ILLEGAL DETENTION

The armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine led to numerous gross and systemic violations of human rights on the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, in particular the establishment of a network of illegal detention places by Ukrainian army and Russia-backed separatists.

International human rights law and international humanitarian law prohibit arbitrary detention.1 Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions, applicable in both international and non-international armed conflicts, requires that persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed ’hors de combat’ by sickness, wounds, detention, or any other cause, shall in all circumstances be treated humanely, whereas arbitrary deprivation of liberty is not compatible with this requirement.

Justice for peace in Donbas EUCCI Illegal detention Justice for peace in Donbas EUCCI Illegal detention Justice for peace in Donbas EUCCI Illegal detention (pdf-file)