Amnesty International presented a new report on the “secret prisons” of the Ukrainian intelligence services
A new report from the international human rights organization Amnesty International assesses the state of human rights in 159 countries throughout 2017. In Ukraine, human rights activists pay special attention to the so-called “secret prisons” of the Ukrainian special services, as well as the unlawful detention of people by law enforcement agencies, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
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It is reported by Radio Liberty.
The investigation into Ukrainian intelligence services' "secret prisons" has made no progress while law enforcement officials continue to use torture and other abuses against people, according to a report entitled "The Situation of Human Rights Around the World."
Representatives of the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture, after a visit to Ukraine, reported that the SBU did not provide them with access to all places of deprivation of liberty and detention, in particular, they were talking about facilities in Kharkov. When human rights activists arrived for the second time, they got the impression that the premises had been specially cleaned to hide signs of torture, the report says. At the time of the inspection, the detainees were transported to other places.
The report also recalls the story of the detention of Daria Mastikasheva, a Ukrainian citizen who came from Russia to visit her mother and son in Ukraine. On August 15, the SBU detained her for two days without any communication with the outside world. Subsequently, Mastikasheva was accused of high treason and illegal possession of weapons. Photographs presented by her lawyer showed signs of torture, and a court in Dnepropetrovsk eventually decided to place her under arrest.
In addition, the State Bureau of Investigation, created in Ukraine last year, has not yet begun work, the analysis says.
Activists and members of non-governmental organizations covering corruption in Ukraine face pressure and even violence, experts say. Such cases are not fully investigated, and “members of the government, including intelligence officials in some cases, are suspected of incitement,” the report said. In March, the government also required anti-corruption activists, including journalists, to declare their annual income.
The investigation into the murder of journalists, namely Oleg Buzina and Pavel Sheremet, did not yield any results. At the same time, authorities continue to put pressure on media representatives through criminal prosecutions of those who criticize them for the failure of reforms or policies in eastern Ukraine, the analysis says.
Human rights activists also draw attention to the fact that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has still not ratified the Istanbul Convention, a comprehensive international document whose purpose is to combat violence against women and domestic violence.
At the same time, citing data from the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, experts note that in cases of conflict-related sexual violence, the Ukrainian justice system was unable to adequately protect victims, including both women and men. Most were people held by fighters or government forces, the report said.