Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Liudmyla Denisova has said that 34 citizens of Ukraine are illegally detained in the Russia-occupied Crimea, and 35 Ukrainians and 24 Ukrainian POWs, captured in the Kerch Strait in 2018, in the territory of Russia.
She told the ministerial panel discussion on the violation of the human rights of Ukrainian prisoners of war and political hostages of the Russian Federation that as a result of military actions that have been going on for five years, 10,000 people were killed and 24,000 injured, Denisova said on Facebook on Feb. 26.
“Thirty-four citizens of Ukraine are illegally detained in penitentiary institutions in the territory of the temporarily occupied Crimea, and 35 in Russia. Many of them do not receive medical care and proper detention conditions,” the Ukrainian ombudswoman said.
The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights called for continued pressure on the Russian Federation until the unconditional release of prisoners of war. And she confirmed Ukraine’s readiness for any exchange of citizens of the Russian Federation who were arrested in the territory controlled by the Ukrainian government for citizens of Ukraine kept in the territory of Russia and the temporarily occupied Crimea.
