Amnesty International’s latest report, published on Tuesday, sheds light on Russia’s systemic abuse of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) and civilian detainees, categorizing the treatment as both war crimes and crimes against humanity. The findings are based on interviews with 104 individuals living in Ukraine between January and November 2024, revealing disturbing patterns of mistreatment by Russian forces.
The report details that Russian authorities failed to notify the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) about the status and whereabouts of detainees, in violation of international law. Additionally, the Russian military denied detainees contact with their families. Of 43 relatives of POWs interviewed, 56% reported no communication from their loved ones. The report also highlights that Russia obstructed access to detention centers by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), leading to incommunicado detention—considered a form of “inhuman treatment” under international law.
Amnesty’s investigation also uncovered evidence of executions, with Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsman revealing that Russian forces had executed 177 POWs, including 109 in 2024 alone. HRMMU reports corroborated this, documenting a recent uptick in executions. Former detainees recounted widespread torture and denial of medical treatment, a finding that HRMMU further substantiated, reporting that 97% of former POWs interviewed had endured torture or ill-treatment.
The Geneva Conventions, to which Russia is a signatory, explicitly require humane treatment of POWs, including the right to communicate with family members. Russia’s actions—ranging from torture to execution—clearly violate these provisions, and Amnesty’s report argues that these actions qualify as war crimes.
Amnesty’s findings underscore the severity of Russia’s actions, which may also amount to crimes against humanity, as defined by international law. These abuses, from unlawful detention to systemic torture and killings, are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of mistreatment that continues to violate international human rights standards.
This report calls for accountability for these acts, as the international community grapples with the ongoing conflict and the treatment of those caught in its devastating wake.
Human-rights Picture by-Nick-Youngson-CC-BY-SA-3.0-Pix4free
