71. Abduction and forced collaboration of city council secretary
Nova Kakhovka (Kherson)
LOCATION: Nova Kakhovka (Kherson)
DATE: March 16-April 30, 2022
NUMBER OF WITNESSES: 1
SUMMARY: On March 16, 2022, the Russian military abducted a secretary of the Novokakhov City Council at his workplace. He was illegally held captive until early May 2022 in the occupied police station in Nova Kakhovka. The Witness said that he was forced to cooperate with the occupiers. They constantly conducted interrogations but did not threaten to kill or torture him. He witnessed the torture of other prisoners. One of the reasons for his detention could be revenge on the part of the regional commander of Nova Kakhovka, a collaborator. This was discussed in detail during a conversation: the Witness confirmed that the commander had reasons for revenge. However, the Witness himself believes that this was hardly the reason for his detention.
WITNESSES
The Witness of the incident was a male civilian and resident of Nova Kakhovka who worked at the city council.
VICTIMS
The Victims of the incident include the Witness mentioned above as well as other residents of Nova Kakhovka who were detained with the Witness.
ALLEGED PERPETRATORS
as described by the Witness(es)
The perpetrators included the leader of the illegal armed group in the Kakhovskyi district, the head of “military-civil administration,” members of the Russian Federal Security Service, and policemen part of the occupied Kakhovka district police department.