In the Occupied Donbas, 235 People Are Held Illegally in Prisons

As of 14 August, pro-Russian militants illegally detained 235 people in the Donbas territory beyond the control of the Ukrainian authorities. This was reported by the Security Service of Ukraine in response to a request from Radio Svoboda.

“According to the information center of the Joint Center, 235 people are listed as illegally imprisoned in the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions,” the statement said.

The SSU also noted that the issue of release of Ukrainian citizens illegally imprisoned by law enforcement and judicial bodies of the Russian Federation is “brought to the level of international contacts and resolved with the participation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.”

Recently, a lawyer for one of the detained Crimeans, who is on trial in Russia for “treason,” said that a total of 133 Ukrainian political prisoners were being held in Russia and the occupied Crimea.

It should be noted that in early August, the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak announced the preparation of a new exchange of detainees according to the formula “100 for 100.”

Bohdan Marusyak