Russian officers accused of torture against Ukrainian civilians and prisoners of war have been engaging in a systematic, state-endorsed policy, according to a United Nations expert on torture. Alice Jill Edwards, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on torture, stated that witnesses have shared credible accounts of torture, including rape and beatings, in different detention facilities under Russian occupation and among Ukrainian soldiers captured by Russian forces. Edwards described this behavior as orchestrated and part of a state policy to instill fear, punish, and extract information and confessions.
These comments mark one of the strongest condemnations implicating the Russian leadership by an independent expert since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. Edwards revealed that she had reached out to Russian authorities multiple times over the past year, bringing attention to the behavior of its troops and personnel in detention facilities, but received no response. Moscow has denied practicing torture, though their refusal to address the issue and the increasing number of cases imply tacit approval.
Edwards criticized the Russian authorities for failing to send a directive to their soldiers and military command, explicitly prohibiting torture and such types of detentions and interrogations. She emphasized that their denial of engaging in such practices must be supported by a military directive. Moreover, Moscow has not responded to Edwards’ recent offer to visit and report on the conditions of Russian prisoners of war held in Ukraine.
During her visit, Edwards made public the details of four individuals who claimed they were tortured while detained under Russian occupation in the region of Izium last year. According to Ukrainian officials, 90 percent of the hundreds of Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia and subsequently released in exchanges suffered torture, including sexual violence. Edwards argued that the scale and pattern of these abuses suggest that they are not random or incidental.
Former prisoners of war held by Russia also reported dangerous levels of weight loss due to starvation during their detention. One former prisoner stated he had lost approximately 90 pounds and experienced graying hair. Some prisoners also died in custody due to beatings or poor conditions.
Edwards recounted the story of a woman who suffered two heart attacks while in detention after enduring torture and being forced to watch her son being tortured. She signed a confession out of distress, but was held for an additional 300 days. Edwards concluded that there is a structure to these abuses, with someone supervising, perpetrating, and interrogating victims.
While Edwards is well-known for her work on sexual violence during conflicts, she expressed frustration regarding the lack of progress in cases related to the Ukrainian conflict. Few Ukrainian women have come forward to prosecutors with complaints, as they fear stigma and accusations of collaboration, especially in rural areas. Men, who also experienced sexual torture in detention, have come forward in larger numbers. However, evidence suggests that sexual violence is a more significant issue for women. Nonprofit organizations have reported increased demand for the morning-after pill from women in areas recaptured from Russian forces.
Edwards highlighted the need for a coercive environment that established lack of consent in cases of sexual violence. She argued that Ukraine requires more female investigators and additional training in investigation and interviewing techniques to establish rapport and facilitate communication with women who have experienced sexual torture. Creating an environment where survivors feel safe to speak about their experiences, receive necessary treatment, and access support is crucial for their recovery.