
244. Detention and torture of civilians, sexual violence
Kherson (Kherson)
LOCATION: Kherson (Kherson)
DATE: June 23 – July 15, 2022
NUMBER OF WITNESSES: 2
SUMMARY: In late June 2022, Russian forces detained two male civilians (brothers) and held them captive for 13 days in a temporary detention facility in Kherson. While in captivity, they were severely tortured through a variety of methods, including beatings, electrocution, burning cigarettes on their skin, and setting their body hair on fire. They were also threatened with genital mutilation, execution, drowning, and rape. The brothers were released on the condition that they would spy on residents in Kherson and pass information to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). In mid-July 2022, the brothers left Kherson for Crimea but were stopped at a Russian checkpoint, where one of the brothers was taken captive a second time.
WITNESSES
The Witnesses of the incident were brothers in their early and late 20s. They both worked at a cafe at the time of their capture, and neither were involved with any military or volunteer groups. However, both Witnesses passed information about the movement of Russian equipment in Kherson to their friends in the AFU (Armed Forces of Ukraine).
VICTIMS
The Victims of the incident were the Witnesses mentioned above.
ALLEGED PERPETRATORS
as described by the Witness(es)
Members of the Russian forces who varied in rank.