Human rights violations against Ukrainian prisoners of war: EU lists 15 individuals and one entity

On 13 July, the Council of the European Union imposed restrictive measures on 15 individuals and one entity responsible for serious human rights violations against Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees both in the temporarily occupied regions of Ukraine and in Russia.

The EU is imposing restrictive measures under the European Union’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against eight Russian individuals and one entity responsible for torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) and civilian detainees in the occupied Ukrainian territories.

Among those listed is Dmitry Neelov, first deputy head of the Olenivka prison in Donetsk region, involved in the torture, beating and humiliation of Ukrainian POWs and civilians. He is directly responsible for the mass killing of Ukrainian prisoners in Olenivka on 28-29 July 2022 following a Russian attack, by deliberately delaying the evacuation of the wounded. The decision also includes several high-level officers and staff who carried out the degrading treatment against Ukrainian prisoners in the Olenivka prison.

Another targeted individual is Alexei Khavetsky, head of security at Penal colony no. 7 in Pakino, Russia, where he orchestrated the systematic mistreatment of Ukrainian POWs. Under his supervision, prisoners were subjected to electric shocks, intentional starvation and acts of sexual violence and extreme humiliation for the entertainment of the colony staff.

The Council also sanctions Yan Zanevsky, an FSB officer involved in illegal detention and torture – such as beatings, suffocation and sexual abuse – of civilians in temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including the Kherson, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions.

The entity targeted under this framework is the Pre-trial detention centre-2 Taganrog (SIZO 2), used to hold Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians, including journalists and women, subjected to systemic torture that lead to death, as was the case of journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died in this facility after a year of detention and showed numerous signs of torture.

By another decision, the Council also listed Alexander Gnutov, Head of Penal Colony No 10, his five Deputy Heads and a Head of the Medical Unit. The colony is located in the village of Udarny in the Zubovo-Polyansky District of the Republic of Mordovia. Former detainees of this prison report inhuman and degrading treatment and torture, including electric shocks, beating, stress positions causing trophic ulcers, sexual violence, mock executions and the denial of medical care. 

Individuals and entities listed under both sanctions’ regimes are subject to an asset freeze. EU citizens and companies are forbidden from making funds available to them. Individuals are also subject to a travel ban, which prevents them from entering or transiting through EU territories.

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