REVIEW OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN THE TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED PARTS OF THE DONETSK AND LUHANSK REGIONS JANUARY 2021
4
detentions
1
case of coercion to participate in “patriotic” and “social” actions
21
cases of property declared ownerless
In January 2021, new facts of human rights violations were discovered in the parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation: illegal detentions and restrictions on the freedom of movement of civilians, creation of a parallel legal system, involvement of minors in propaganda, violation of property rights. Unfortunately, these human rights violations have become the “norm” for residents of the territories of the so-called “people’s republics”.
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Unlawful Arrests, Detentions and Restrictions on the Freedom of Movement On 9 January 2021, there was a message on the social media site “Vkontakte” about the disappearance of two brothers, Ihor and Oleksandr Borisov — residents of Kadiivka (former Stakhanov) in the Luhansk region. Later the information appeared, that they were detained by representatives of the so -called “Ministry of State Security of the LPR”: “The brothers were detained on 6 January — Oleksandr near his own home, and Ihor near the grocery store, which is their common business. The “Ministry of State Security” is trying to find proof to accuse them in espionage in favor of Ukraine. Their lawyer tried to meet with the Borisovs twice, but he was denied by the militants until the end of the 30-day inspection period”.
Oleksandr Borisov transports passengers from the separate districts of the Luhansk region to the Ukrainian government-controlled territory. His brother Ihor works at a car repair shop, and recently they opened the grocery store as well. This is reported by Novosti Donbasa.
On 10 January 2021, a message appeared on the social media site “VKontakte” about the disappearance of the father and son Oleksandr Pavlovich and Dmytro Oleksandrovich Hrobovikov, born in 1949 and 1975. The men disappeared in the city of Dovzhansk (formerly Sverdlovsk) of the Luhansk region under strange circumstances: “They disappeared from the house. There was a complete mess in the apartment; their documents and phones were gone. There were clothes in the washing machine and food on the stove. It seemed as if they had gone to the store or somewhere for a short while”.
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Review of Human Rights Violations in the Temporarily Occupied Parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions
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January 2021
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Compulsory membership in “non-governmental” organizations and participation in “patriotic” and “social” actions of the “LPR” and “DPR”. Involving children in propaganda In the parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, anti-Ukrainian propaganda is being conducted under the guise of “military-patriotic education” among children, adolescents, and young people, involving them into membership in “nongovernmental” organizations. Employees of state financed enterprises under the so-called “external management”, do not have the opportunity to refuse to participate in “non-governmental” organizations, as they risk being subverted to serious pressure and persecution. These actions by the representatives of the occupation administrations are qualified as a violation of the freedom of association. On 15 January 2021, in Kadiivka (former Stakhanov) of the Luhansk region, an action was held in memory of the members of the Krasnodon underground organization «Young Guard» on the 78th anniversary of their death.
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Review of Human Rights Violations in the Temporarily Occupied Parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions
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January 2021
The organizer was the local branch of the “Young Guard” project of the socalled social movement “Peace to the Luhansk region”. The event was attended by older schoolchildren.
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Review of Human Rights Violations in the Temporarily Occupied Parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions
4
January 2021
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Violations of property rights In January 2021, the process of the so-called “nationalization” of enterprises that previously operated under Ukrainian jurisdiction or belonged to Ukrainian citizens residing in Ukrainian-controlled territories since the beginning of the conflict, continues in the parts of Luhansk and Donetsk regions temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation. In our opinion, the following facts should be qualified as violations of property rights. It should be noted that these violations are systemic and widespread in the occupied regions of Luhansk and Donetsk regions. • In January 2021, the so-called “DPR State Property Fund” did not publish any new notices on the lease of ownerless real estate. • In January 2021, the so-called “state committee of taxes and duties” in “LPR” published 33 announcements about the discovery of various ownerless properties. Among the property declared ownerless are: • property of legal entities: real estate of the military unit 3035 of the National Guard of Ukraine: non-residential premises, military warehouses, garages, a sports hall, a canteen with an auxiliary building, a kitchen, outbuildings, a vegetable storage room; equipment for the gym belonging to JSC “LUM”: sections of the floor platforms and carpets; a four-story non-residential brick building, non-residential premises, construction tour, office furniture, safes, computer equipment, a heater, fire extinguishers, podiums, information stands, fire alarms, electricity meters, stairs, a GPS navigator, mobile communication equipment, safety deposit boxes, an ATM, a metal advertising structure. • property of natural persons: cars, tobacco products, an unfinished three-story building, metal shelving, office furniture.
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Review of Human Rights Violations in the Temporarily Occupied Parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions
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January 2021
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COVID-19 in the temporarily occupied Luhansk and Donetsk regions The Ministry of Health of Ukraine has no data on the real situation with COVID-19 in the non-government controlled territories of Donbas and in the occupied Crimea. According to statistics published by the so-called “DPR”, the total number of registered and confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of 27 January 2021 was 20,153. 10,733 people have recovered, and 1777 have died. In the so-called «LPR», according to their statistics as of 29 January 2021 there were 2577 cases registered of COVID-19, 2120 were discharged from the hospital, and 224 have died. There are no free media on the territory of Separate Districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (ORDLO), and we can only judge about the problems related to the pandemic by messages and comments in social media, as well as by indirect indicators. The so-called “DPR” is preparing for vaccination against the coronavirus infection with the Russian vaccine “Sputnik V”. This was stated by the self-proclaimed head of the so-called «DPR” Denis Pushilin: “As we stated earlier, we are waiting for the vaccine in January. Preparatory measures are now underway – sites are being prepared for the storage of the vaccine and where vaccination will be carried out. Lists are also being prepared. First of all, we will vaccinate employees of healthcare and education, social workers who are in contact with people, and employees of law enforcement agencies”. In the so-called “DPR”, they are expecting about 80 thousand doses of the vaccine against COVID-19 from Russia, in the so-called “LPR” 65 thousand doses. This is reported by the so-called “LPR media” Luhansk information center.
A review of human rights violations in the temporarily occupied parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions is carried out with the aim of preserving democratic rights and freedoms on the territory of Ukraine.
Reviews for the past months can be found under the following link share-square The translation of this report into English was completed with contributions from: Mischa van Diepen, Julia Samokhvalova and Thomas David Howard. This Report was submitted by Charity Foundation “VOSTOK-SOS” with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The study was made possible thanks to the sincere support of the American people, provided through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The content of this Report is solely Charity Foundation “VOSTOK-SOS” and does not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the US Government. Reproduction and use of any part of this Report in any format, including graphic, electronic, copying or use in any other way without the corresponding reference to the original source, shall be prohibited.
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Review of Human Rights Violations in the Temporarily Occupied Parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk Regions
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January 2021