Release with no evidence: how can civilians prove their imprisonment by the aggressor country?

Press center UCMC announce

Speakers: ⦁ Kateryna Levchenko, lawyer at the Association of Relatives of Political Prisoners of the Kremlin;
⦁ Svitlana Odintsova, analyst at the Association of Relatives of Political Prisoners of the Kremlin;
⦁ Mykhailo Savva, doctor of political sciences, member of the expert council of the Center for Civil Liberties;
⦁ Yulia Poliekhina, lawyer at the Human Rights Group "SICH" and the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union (UHHRU) (online);
⦁ Oleksandr Panchenko, released from illegal detention (online).
⦁ Ihor Kotelyanets, moderator, head of the Association of Relatives of Political Prisoners of the Kremlin.

Venue: Press center of the Ukraine Crisis Media Center

Organizer: Center for Civil Liberties

On December 17 at 14:30, UCMC will host a press event on the topic: “Release with no evidence: how can civilians prove their imprisonment by the aggressor country?”

Every third attempt of civilians to confirm the fact of their illegal imprisonment due to the Russian Federation’s aggression ends in refusal. This is evidenced by data from the Ministry of Reintegration as of November 2023. As a result, people who were tortured and held without any rights and documents, remain without the necessary state support due to the complexity and opacity of the procedures.

The reasons for this situation, the challenges faced by the released persons, and possible solutions will be presented during the presentation of the Expert Review and Recommendations prepared by the NGO “Association of Relatives of Political Prisoners of the Kremlin”.

Main topics for discussion: 

  • Why is it difficult for those released from captivity not as a result of a prisoner exchange to prove the fact of their illegal detention? 
  • Shortcomings of the current legislation and discriminatory norms. 
  • Practical recommendations for illegally imprisoned persons and their families, as well as for state authorities and the Commission on Establishing the Fact of Deprivation of Personal Liberty as a Result of Armed Aggression against Ukraine. 
  • How can the system be changed to ensure justice and support for those released? 

 Registration of participants and media – here. 

We invite journalists, representatives of public organizations and all interested parties to join the discussion and coverage of this important issue!

The analytical report was prepared with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. The materials represent the position of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the International Renaissance Foundation.The event will be held within the framework of the Enhance Non-Governmental Actors and Grassroots Engagement (ENGAGE) Program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Pact in Ukraine. The content of this event is the sole responsibility of Pact and its partners and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the U.S. government.

Attention! In case of an air alert, visitors of the event can use the shelter located in the basement of the Ukrainian House ( Ukraine Crisis Media Center, Ukrainian House, 1st floor. 2 Khreshchatyk street, Kyiv 01001 )